- Date
- April 28, 2010, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Boulder, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8SMBeech 35
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100428034319A
- Case key
- 75886
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in a crosswind.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was attempting to land his single-engine airplane in a crosswind when the airplane drifted to the right of the runway and touched down. The left wing lifted and the pilot reacted by adding power for a go-around, but he then determined that a go-around was not a suitable option and reduced engine power. The airplane veered toward a fence and a road, so the pilot again added power in an attempt to lift the airplane over them. Subsequently, the left wing hit a telephone pole and a car. The pilot reduced power and the airplane skidded to a stop and remained upright on the landing gear. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and stated that he failed to maintain control of the airplane after touchdown while attempting to land in a crosswind.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was attempting to land his single-engine airplane in a crosswind, when the airplane drifted to the right of the runway and touched down. The left wing lifted and the pilot reacted by adding power for a go-around, but realized that a go-around was not a suitable option and reduced engine power. The airplane veered toward a fence and a road, so the pilot again added power in an attempt to lift the airplane over them. Subsequently, the left wing hit a telephone pole and a car. The pilot reduced power and the airplane skidded to a stop and remained upright on the landing gear. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and stated the he failed to maintain control of the airplane after touchdown while attempting to land in a crosswind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8SM
- Reported as
- Beech 35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-332
- Engine
- Cont Motor E185 SERIES, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Curtis Charles
- Registered owner
- Curtis Charles
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BDU · Boulder, CO
- Destination
- BDU · Boulder, CO
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- BDU · Boulder, runway 26
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 270 total · 113 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Observed at
- BDU
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 640 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.