# NTSB FTW98LA295: Cessna 172E, N7780U, Watkins, CO, July 3, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 2, 1998, 19:40 local (Jul 3, 1998, 01:40 UTC) - Place: Watkins, CO - Coordinates: 39.750587, -104.599426 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7506&lon=-104.5994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report February 11, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20668 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA295 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20668/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA295 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather which resulted in an encounter with a microburst. Contributing was the airplane's climb capability exceeded by the microburst, and rising terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, takeoff - initial climb - weather condition - microburst/dry (contributing factor) - weather evaluation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft performance,climb capability - exceeded (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - aircraft performance,climb capability - exceeded (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot landed at Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado, refueled, and waited 90 minutes for a thunderstorm to pass. He then took off en route to Englewood, Colorado. He returned to the airport shortly thereafter because he encountered 'steady state precipitation.' He waited for 30 minutes 'until the rain and virga passed and the wind [had] died down.' He took off from runway 17 into a 4 to 6 knot wind from 160 degrees. After climbing about 400 to 500 feet agl, he began to feel the airplane sinking rapidly. He maintained an airspeed of 60 to 65 knots during the descent, and the stall warning horn sounded intermittently. The airplane collided with rising terrain south of the airport. It was the pilot's opinion that he had encountered a microburst. At the time of the accident, Denver International Airport, located 10 miles northwest of Front Range Airport, reported there were several cumulonimbus clouds at 5500 feet in the area, with winds from the east at 20 knots, gusts to 26 knots, and peak winds at 30 knots. A line of cumulonimbus clouds, stretching from the northwest to the northeast, were moving north with rain showers to the northeast. ## Factual narrative On July 2, 1998, approximately 1940 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172E (tail wheel conversion), N7780U, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during takeoff at Watkins, Colorado. The commercial pilot and his private pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating when the accident occurred. According to the pilot's accident report, he had flown from Wray, Colorado, to Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado, where he landed, refueled, and waited 90 minutes for a thunderstorm to pass. He then took off en route to Englewood, Colorado. He returned to the airport shortly thereafter because he encountered "steady state precipitation." He waited for 30 minutes "until the rain and virga passed and the wind [had] died down." He took off from runway 17 into a 4 to 6 knot wind from 160 degrees. After climbing about 400 to 500 feet agl, he began to feel the airplane sinking rapidly. He maintained an airspeed of 60 to 65 knots during the descent, and the stall warning horn sounded intermittently. The airplane collided with rising terrain south of the airport. It was the pilot's opinion that he had encountered a microburst. At the time of the accident, Denver International Airport, located 10 miles northwest of Front Range Airport, reported there were several cumulonimbus clouds at 5500 feet in the area, with winds from the east at 20 knots, gusts to 26 knots, and peak winds at 30 knots. A line of cumulonimbus clouds, stretching from the northwest to the northeast, were moving north with rain showers to the northeast. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7780U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7780U-1998-10-15), registration cancelled 1998-10-15, S/N 17251780 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172E - Registry model: [Cessna 172E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172e) (registry code 2072412) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172251780 - Airframe hours: 5787 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Brady L. Davis - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 14, 1998, 75 hours before - Departed: FTG - Destination: APA, ENGLEWOOD, CO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 506 total, 426 in this make and model, 470 as pilot in command, 105 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 20 knots, gusting 26 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: DEN, 8 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 19980702024449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980702024449A), Jul 2, 1998: Cessna 172E, Denver, CO, Destroyed. Encountered severe unrecoverable downdraft on climbout. Collided rising terrain. Thunderstorm in area. (.4)the pilot landed at Front Range Airport, watkins,… 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.