Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On October 21, 2002, at approximately 1810 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, N41807, registered to Swain Aviation LLC, and operated by The Flying School, both of Fort Collins, Colorado, was destroyed when it nosed over following an attempted go-around during a touch-and-go landing at Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), Fort Collins, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this local flight being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The flight originated at approximately 1730.

According to the pilot, he was doing touch-and-go landings on runway 15. On this approach, he made a 3-point landing and bounced. He settled the airplane back down for a second 3-point landing, but there was a "lack of directional ground control and some drift to the right of centerline." He added full power for a go-around, but the controls felt "mushy," and there was a "lack of aileron control." The airplane drifted to the right, struck the runway with its right wingtip, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both the left and right wing spars, empennage, forward fuselage, both main landing gear attachment points, rudder and left horizontal stabilizer.

The reported weather conditions at 1815 was wind, 070 degrees at 07 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature, 11 degrees C.; dew point, 03 degrees C.; altimeter setting, 30.00.

According to these conditions, a landing on runway 15, would result in an 80 degree left-hand crosswind. The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall.