Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
Learn from Colorado's accident history to fly safer in the Rockies
2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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1 Fatal
MONUMENT, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On June 15, 1996, approximately 0830 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N111BF, impacted terrain on the 355 degree radial, 8.1 miles from the FALCON VORTAC, northeast of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The airline transport pilot occupant received fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 at the time and no flight plan was filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for this business flight which departed Meadow Lake Airport at 0800.
According to witness information, the pilot was doing a weather check prior to towing a glider from Meadow Lake Airport to Kelly Air Park (Black Forest Glider Park). Weather at the accident site was described by witnesses as low overcast with rain and wind.
The accident site was 330 degrees magnetic and 8 miles from Meadow Lake Airport which is 6,847 feet above mean sea level (msl). The accident site was a cultivated field in rolling hills approximately 7,700 feet msl with a farm house located about 600 feet to the southwest.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot held an airline transport certificate with ratings in single and multiengine land, a type rating in the Embraer EMB-110, and commercial glider privileges. According to his logbook he had 11,962 hours of flight time, 228 hours in make and model, with 25 hours in the last 30 days in this aircraft. His last recorded flight in this aircraft prior to the accident flight was 0.6 hours on June 10, 1996. It was a glider tow flight. His logbook provided information that he had 1,439 hours of actual instrument experience, 123 hours of simulated (hooded) instrument experience. His last recorded instrument time was 1.0 hours of actual instrument time on October 22, 1995, in a PA-18-181, N2127P.
The pilot held a first class medical certificate dated November 18, 1994. There were no limitations or waivers on the certificate.
A biennial flight review was entered in the pilot's log; however, it does not indicate the type aircraft in which the review was conducted.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The PA-18-150 is a tandem, high wing, fixed gear, tail wheel equipped aircraft normally powered by a 150 horsepower Lycoming O-320 normally aspirated engine. This aircraft was equipped with a Lycoming VO-360-A1A in November of 1985. According to the Lycoming technical representative to the investigation, this model engine is normally used in helicopter applications and this engine, serial number L-228-45, was built for the Brantly Corporation. Aircraft records provided information that an FAA Form 337 had been generated converting the engine to a O-360-C2A on October 31, 1986.
According to the aircraft owners, the aircraft was equipped with a standard PA-18 instrument group consisting of the following instruments: altimeter, wet compass, airspeed indicator, oil temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, and tachometer.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The nearest weather recording facility
On June 15, 1996, approximately 0830 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N111BF, impacted terrain on the 355 degree radial, 8.1 miles from the FALCON VORTAC, northeast of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The airline transport pilot occupant received fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 at the time and no flight plan was filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for this business flight which departed Meadow Lake Airport at 0800.
According to witness information, the pilot was doing a weather check prior to towing a glider from Meadow Lake Airport to Kelly Air Park (Black Forest Glider Park). Weather at the accident site was described by witnesses as low overcast with rain and wind.
The accident site was 330 degrees magnetic and 8 miles from Meadow Lake Airport which is 6,847 feet above mean sea level (msl). The accident site was a cultivated field in rolling hills approximately 7,700 feet msl with a farm house located about 600 feet to the southwest.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot held an airline transport certificate with ratings in single and multiengine land, a type rating in the Embraer EMB-110, and commercial glider privileges. According to his logbook he had 11,962 hours of flight time, 228 hours in make and model, with 25 hours in the last 30 days in this aircraft. His last recorded flight in this aircraft prior to the accident flight was 0.6 hours on June 10, 1996. It was a glider tow flight. His logbook provided information that he had 1,439 hours of actual instrument experience, 123 hours of simulated (hooded) instrument experience. His last recorded instrument time was 1.0 hours of actual instrument time on October 22, 1995, in a PA-18-181, N2127P.
The pilot held a first class medical certificate dated November 18, 1994. There were no limitations or waivers on the certificate.
A biennial flight review was entered in the pilot's log; however, it does not indicate the type aircraft in which the review was conducted.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The PA-18-150 is a tandem, high wing, fixed gear, tail wheel equipped aircraft normally powered by a 150 horsepower Lycoming O-320 normally aspirated engine. This aircraft was equipped with a Lycoming VO-360-A1A in November of 1985. According to the Lycoming technical representative to the investigation, this model engine is normally used in helicopter applications and this engine, serial number L-228-45, was built for the Brantly Corporation. Aircraft records provided information that an FAA Form 337 had been generated converting the engine to a O-360-C2A on October 31, 1986.
According to the aircraft owners, the aircraft was equipped with a standard PA-18 instrument group consisting of the following instruments: altimeter, wet compass, airspeed indicator, oil temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, and tachometer.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The nearest weather recording facility
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Details
| NTSB Report | FTW96FA250 |
| Aircraft | Piper PA-18-150 |
| Registration | N111BF |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 39.1000, -104.8499 |
