Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On December 14, 2000, at approximately 0920 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172P, N127FR, was substantially damaged during landing roll at Lake County Airport, Leadville, Colorado. The student pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. Leadville Airport, Inc., Leadville, Colorado, was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local solo training flight that originated approximately 15 minutes before the accident. The student pilot had not filed a flight plan.

The student pilot said that this was his first solo flight, and he was performing a stop-and-go landing. He said that during the landing roll, he let the airplane drift to the left allowing the left main wheel to impact a snow bank beside the runway. The airplane cart wheeled to the left bending both wing spars. the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll. A contributing factor was the snow bank next to the runway.