# NTSB FTW95LA369: Piper PA-28-181, N8450B, Fort Collins, CO, August 27, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 27, 1995, 00:30 local (06:30 UTC) - Place: Fort Collins, CO - Coordinates: 40.650588, -105.030479 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6506&lon=-105.0305&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 19, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19561 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW95LA369 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19561/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95LA369 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: A MISREADING OR MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE NOTAMS. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, landing - flare/touchdown - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - construction area - notams - misread (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - displaced threshold - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE TAKEOFF, HE CALLED FLIGHT SERVICE TO OBTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION AND NOTAMS. AFTER BEING BRIEFED ON NOTAMS FOR THE FORT COLLINS-LOVELAND AIRPORT, HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FIRST 400' PORTION OF RUNWAY 33 WAS CLOSED (FOR CONSTRUCTION). ACTUALLY, THE FIRST 4000' PORTION OF THAT RUNWAY WAS CLOSED. WHILE EN ROUTE AT NIGHT, HE ELECTED TO MAKE A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON THAT RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 2000' SHORT OF THE TEMPORARY THRESHOLD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT HEARD A NOISE AND SAW BARRICADES. HE APPLIED POWER AND FLEW OVER THE BARRICADES, BUT FOUND DAMAGE ON THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE FLIGHT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS PROPERLY MARKED, RUNWAY LIGHTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AREA WERE COVERED, THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS HAD BEEN MOVED TO THE TEMPORARY THRESHOLD, AND PROPER NOTAMS HAD BEEN ISSUED. ## Factual narrative On August 27, 1995, at 0030 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-181, N8450B, landed in a runway construction zone at Fort Collins/Loveland Airport, Fort Collins, Colorado. The private pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred and a VFR flight plan was on file. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area personal flight which originated at Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado at 2345. The accident occurred on runway 33, of which 4,000 feet of the 8,500 foot runway was closed for repaving. The construction zone was properly marked and NOTAMs (notice to airmen) were on file regarding the partial closure. (Copies of the NOTAMs and an airport diagram are attached). In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he checked NOTAMs with flight service and was aware of the partial closure of the runway, but thought only 400 feet of the runway was closed. He said he was trying to land as close to the temporary threshold lights as possible and touched down early. Witness marks in the construction zone provided evidence that the aircraft touched down approximately 2,000 feet short of the temporary threshold. The pilot said he heard a loud noise following touch down and added power when he saw barricades in front of the aircraft. He said he flew over the barricades and relanded on the open portion of the runway. He said he then taxied clear of the runway and inspected the aircraft. According to the pilot, the damage did not look serious so he flew the aircraft back to Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado. Examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector provided evidence of compression damage to the leading edge of the right wing, compression damage to the bottom of the right wing, damage to the right wing fuel tank, and a slice in the right flap. Examination of the runway facilities by this investigator provided evidence that the strobe lights were off, the VASI (visual approach slope indicator) was off, the runway lights in the construction zone were covered, and the threshold lights were off, with temporary threshold lights installed at the end of the construction zone. The construction zone consisted of 4,000 feet of asphalt which had been peeled for repaving. Steel rods approximately three quarters of an inch in diameter and 30 inches in height protruded from the centerline of the runway in the construction zone. These were to serve as guide markers for the paving equipment. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8450B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8450B-2007-07-31), registration cancelled 2007-07-31, S/N 28-8290038, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (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: 28-8290038 - Airframe hours: 3949 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: P C Flyers, Inc. - Registered owner: Melvin J. Fennel - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 10, 1995, 50 hours before - Departed: APA, ENGLEWWOD, CO - Destination: FNL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: FNL, Fort Collins/Loveland, runway 33, 8,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 137 total, 17 in this make and model, 137 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 10° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FNL, 1 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 19950827026839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950827026839A), Aug 27, 1995: Piper PA28181, Fort Collins, CO, Substantial damage. Tired land closed portion of runway. Missread NOTAM of 4000FT closed to 400FT. Hit barricades. Area not lighted. 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.