20050817017709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18 · Cedaredge, CO · August 17, 2005

Date: August 17, 2005 · 14:30 local
Place: Cedaredge, CO
Airport: Flying W Ranch Airport
Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7172K
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN05CA129
Reported as: Piper PA18
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,767 total200 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N7172KRegistered now · Piper PA-18S/N 18-396 · Built 1950 Airframe modelPiper PA-18 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot stated that he departed vernal, Utah at approximately 1300 MDT for his private airstrip, CO20. He arrived at approximately 14:20. There were some afternoon convections in the area but no active cells. He flew over the strip and noticed the wind was from the northeast by looking at his windsock. On final to runway 35 the ground speed increased dramatically and the windsock showed a strong wind from the south. A decision was made to go around. Due to high temperature, heavy load (passenger and fuel), and the rising terrai this decision was a poor one. The aircraft was unable to climb faster than the terrain. As the end of the runway came near he turned so as not to hit some trees at the end of runway and attempted to land in an adjacent field. The turn caused the aircraft to stall and it fell about 15 feet onto a fence and rocks. There were no injuries to pilot or passenger and they exited the aircraft through the main door.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED VERNAL, UTAH AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 MDT FOR HIS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, CO20. HE ARRIVED AT APPROXIMATELY 14:20. THERE WERE SOME AFTERNOON CONVECTIONS IN THE AREA BUT NO ACTIVE CELLS. HE FLEW OVER THE STRIP AND NOTICED THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHEAST BY LOOKING AT HIS WINDSOCK. ON FINAL TO RUNWAY 35 THE GROUND SPEED INCREASED DRAMATICALLY AND THE WINDSOCK SHOWED A STRONG WIND FROM THE SOUTH. A DECISION WAS MADE TO GO AROUND. DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURE, HEAVY LOAD (PASSENGER AND FUEL), AND THE RISING TERRAI THIS DECISION WAS A POOR ONE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB FASTER THAN THE TERRAIN. AS THE END OF THE RUNWAY CAME NEAR HE TURNED SO AS NOT TO HIT SOME TREES AT THE END OF RUNWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE TURN CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL AND IT FELL ABOUT 15 FEET ONTO A FENCE AND ROCKS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER AND THEY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE MAIN DOOR.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN05CA129Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCedaredge, COthe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, and the pilot's improper in-flight planning. Contributing to the accident was the wind shift, resultant tailwind, and the inadvertent stall.Aug 17, 2005 · Substantial damage