# NTSB CEN21LA291: Piper PA-28-180, N9277J, Loveland, CO, June 25, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 24, 2021, 18:45 local (Jun 25, 2021, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Loveland, CO - Coordinates: 40.451827, -105.01133 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4518&lon=-105.0113&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 103345 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA291 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103345/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103345 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA291 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare and subsequent attempted go-around with a strong quartering crosswind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Convective weather: thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 96 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that he was conducting practice maneuvers with a student in the local area when he observed virga developing in the distance. He decided to return to the airport and assumed control of the airplane. During the landing, the airplane encountered a “strong right-to-left wind” gust and began to drift off the runway centerline. The instructor decided to execute a go-around and “quickly advanced to full throttle.” The airplane yawed to the left and continued to drift until it was no longer over the runway. The left wing impacted the ground in the grassy area adjacent to the runway, and the airplane cartwheeled before coming to rest near the parallel taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the instructor pilot was landing on runway 15 with wind from 200o at 20 knots. The flight instructor reported that he was aware of a convective SIGMET for thunderstorms and there were thunderstorms in the vicinity at the time. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9277J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9277J-2023-05-27), registration cancelled 2023-05-27, S/N 28-3356, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-3356 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 4278 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Iron Sights Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Iron Sights Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 10, 2021, 85 hours before - Departed: FNL, Loveland, CO - Airport: KFNL, Northern Colorado Regional, runway 15, 8,500 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 33; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 19, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 388 total, 118 in this make and model, 317 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 30; injuries: none; student; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 8 total, 8 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 16 knots, gusting 30 - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: FNL, 0.5 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20210624008109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210624008109A), Jun 24, 2021: Piper PA-28-180, Ft Collins, CO, Substantial damage. CFI was at the controls for a 20 knot crosswind landing. A sudden left to right gust overcame the corrections. A sudden left yaw while drifting off the left… ## Other investigations on N9277J (2) 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 DIA69D0141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DIA69D0141), Jan 25, 1969: Piper PA-28 (N9277J), Charlottesvill, VA, substantial damage - [NTSB NYC68D0128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC68D0128), Aug 27, 1967: Piper PA-28 (N9277J), Columbia, NJ, substantial damage ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 13, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103345. 37.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 35.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12434328&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20--%20CEN21LA291_redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photos (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12434232&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20--%20CEN21LA291-Rel.pdf - Surface observations -- northern Colorado regional arpt (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 145 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12434242&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WxHist%20--%20KFNL%20--%2024_25Jun2021-Rel.pdf - Weather advisories (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12434378&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20Advisories%20--%2024Jun2021-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.