Cessna 172 N27LA

Summary

On 20 November 2018 at about 16:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N27LA, operated by Kingdom, Power, and Glory LLC, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 November 2018 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Meadow Lake Airport (FLY)

Coordinates

38.9406, -104.5686

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N27LA

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Kingdom, Power, and Glory LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colorado Spring → Colorado Spring

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19TA034

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's decision to perform a touch-and-go landing at a high-density altitude airport, with a tailwind, and on an upsloping runway, which resulted in decreased airplane performance and the airplane’s inability to become airborne within the available runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during a touch-and-go landing, he applied full power to take off and, although the airplane departed the runway surface about 50 knots, it did not accelerate, and the airspeed decreased. The airplane began exhibiting characteristics consistent with a stall and he lowered the nose. The airplane then settled back onto the ground slightly off the left side of the runway surface and continued through a grassy field, a fence, and a ditch. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage. Witnesses reported observing the airplane in a nose-high attitude before it descended from view. The flaps were found extended to 40° at the accident site. The density altitude at the time of the accident was about 7,386 ft, and there was an approximate 4-knot tailwind for the landing runway, which had a 1.4% upslope. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Airport/Facility directory, the opposite runway was recommended for touch-and-go landings in tailwind conditions up to 5 knots. According to the manufacturer's takeoff performance chart, there was adequate runway available for takeoff; however, given the high-density altitude, the tailwind, and the runway upslope, the distance required to conduct a touch-and-go landing and takeoff distance were significantly increased, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to become airborne within the remaining runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.