# Accident 19980502015469A: Bbavia 8GCBC, Colorado Spring, CO, May 2, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 1998, 15:30 local time
- Place: Colorado Spring, CO
- Airport: Usaf Academy Airstrip Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9893° N, 104.8504° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9893&lon=-104.8504&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5043N (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 8GCBC
- Reported engine: LYC O360C2E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,138 total, 5,500 in this make and model, 80 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA209) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980502015469A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NOSED OVER LANDING IN GUSTY CROSSWIND. REPORTED WIND PICKED UP A WING. LOST CONTROL WITH 5500 HRS IN TYPE. (.4)AFTER TOWING A GLIDER ALOFT AND RELEASING IT, THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 16R.  HE SAID THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM THE EAST 'AND WITHIN CROSSWIND LIMITS.'  UPON TOUCHDOWN, 'AN EXTRA STRONG GUST APPEARED TO HIT VERY SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY.'  THE PILOT USED AILERON AND RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, BUT THE LEFT WING, THEN THE RIGHT WING, CONTACTED THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, AND NOSED OVER.  THE PILOT SAID THE TOWER HAD RECEIVED A WARNING FOR WIND GUSTS OVER 25 KNOTS AT ABOUT THE TIME HE TOUCHED DOWN, BUT HAD NOT HAD TIME TO BROADCAST THIS INFORMATION.  THERE WERE 'SMALL THUNDERSTORMS AND NIMBOCUMULUS (CLOUDS) ALL OVER THE AREA, THE NEAREST ABOUT 1-2 MILES NORTHEAST.'  ACCORDING TO THE BELLANCA 8GCBC AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL, THE DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND VELOCITY IS 15 KNOTS.  UNDER THE CONDITIONS REPORTED BY THE PILOT, THE CROSSWIND COMPONENT WAS BETWEEN 25 AND 30 KNOTS. (-23)ON MAY 2, 1998 AT 1530 MDT A BELLANCA 8GCBC, N504N WAS SUBSTANTIALLY D                                           AMAGED WHEN IT NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL AT THE US AIRFORCE ACADEMY AIRFIELD (AFA) RW 16. THE PILOT STATED THAT A VERY STRONG WING GUST GOT UNDER HIS LEFT WING AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTROLABLE.  THE ATP RATED PILOT WITH 5500 HOURS IN THIS TYPE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INJURED.  WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VMC WITH WIND 140 TO 10 GUSTING TO 18 AND A THUNDERSTORM WAS REPORTED APPROXIAMTELY 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF AFA.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA209), May 2, 1998: Bellanca 8GCBC (N5043N), Usaf Academy, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot exceeding the airplane's crosswind component, and his failure to maintain directional control. Factors were the crosswind and gusts.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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