- Date
- March 29, 2026, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N920CJChampion 7GCB
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20260329003469A
- Case key
- 202722
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 of the airplane during takeoff in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
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 pilot reported that while departing the runway in gusty wind conditions, he encountered a left crosswind and which deviated the airplane from his intended flight path. The pilot determined that he did not have enough time to recover and elected to land on an adjacent grass runway. Upon landing, the airplane’s left main landing gear touched down hard and collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, he reported that the accident could have been prevented by maintaining conservative personal minimums for gusty and crosswind conditions and that continued training in gusty crosswinds can enhance safety.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N920CJ
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 56
- Built
- 1960
- Airframe hours
- 778
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jones Alva L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 2025
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- FLY · Meadow Lake, runway 16/34, 5,001 × 200 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 228.5 total · 179.7 in this make and model · 88.5 as pilot in command · 60.9 in the last 90 days · 20.8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KFLY
- METAR
- KFLY 291835Z AUTO 28005G15KT 10SM CLR 23/M06 A3015 RMK AO2 T02251065,M
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.5 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.