- Date
- October 31, 2009, 18:45 local (Nov 1, 2009, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Loveland, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N652CPCessna T182T
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20091031021379A
- Case key
- 75046
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 attain the proper touchdown point during dusk light conditions, and his failure to execute a go-around.
Findings · 5
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 flight instructor requested that the pilot demonstrate a "power-off 180-degree accuracy approach and landing to the 1000-foot mark" on runway 15 with no flaps. The pilot was low on the approach. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, they felt an impact and the airplane landed "hard." The airplane had struck a two-foot high snow bank that was between the threshold lights. The instructor said the upslope runway, inability to brighten the airspeed readout on the G1000 avionics system, and dusk light conditions contributed to the accident.
Factual narrative
On October 31, 2009, approximately 1845 mountain standard time, a Cessna T182T, N652CP, registered to the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), was substantially damaged when it struck a snow berm during landing at Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), Loveland, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and flight instructor on board the airplane were not injured. The local flight originated at FNL approximately 1705. The pilot said that at the conclusion of the CAP check flight, they returned to the airport for pattern work. The flight instructor requested that the pilot demonstrate a "power-off 180-degree accuracy approach and landing to the 1000-foot mark" on runway 15. The first attempt resulted in a go-around. On the second attempt, the airplane was "a little low but [we] were carrying 75 KIAS [knots indicated airspeed] (best glide speed) with no flaps." As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, they felt an impact and the airplane landed "hard." The ELT (emergency locator transmitter) activated but the airbags did not. They taxied to the ramp via taxiway A4. Post-flight inspection revealed a bent right main landing gear, wrinkled right fairing, torn skin on the right horizontal stabilizer and displaced elevator, and buckling of the fuselage skin aft of the left main landing gear. Examination of the runway revealed the blast pad chevrons were clear of snow but the runway threshold had a 2-foot high snowbank between the runway threshold lights. The instructor said the upslope runway, inability to brighten the airspeed readout on the G1000 avionics system, and dusk light conditions were factors in the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N652CP
- Reported as
- Cessna T182T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T18208652
- Airframe hours
- 935
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AK1A, 238 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Civil Air Patrol
- Registered owner
- Civil Air Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 18, 2009 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- FNL · Loveland, CO
- Destination
- FNL · Loveland, CO
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- FNL · Fort Collins-Loveland Municipa, runway 15, 8,500 × 100 ft, concrete
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2009
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,550 total · 1,858 in this make and model · 2,440 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,898 total · 854 in this make and model · 1,876 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 90° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- FNL
Docket · 8
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB 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.