Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On July 1, 2005, approximately 1315 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA46-500TP, N804JH, operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during landing to runway 11 at Fremont County Airport (1V6), Canon City, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The business flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot and his passenger reported no injuries. The cross-country flight departed Steamboat Springs, Colorado, approximately 1215.

According to the accident report submitted by the pilot, he was attempting to land on runway 11. The pilot stated that the pilot of a Twin Commander in front of him performed a go-around due to "erratic winds at the approach end of runway 11" and he elected to do the same. During the second approach, he became distracted maintaining a safe distance from the Twin Commander in front of him. He stated that during the landing, the winds shifted from a right crosswind to a left crosswind and then to a left quartering tailwind. The pilot stated that during the touchdown and landing roll, the airplane drifted to the left and he overcorrected. The airplane exited the runway to the right and ground looped. Both the left and right main landing gear collapsed and the propeller struck the ground.

Both the left and right landing gear actuator rods penetrated the wings. A wing rib just right of the landing gear bay door separated from the main wing spar on the right wing. Three high lock rivets, mounted to the forward spar on the left wing, were pulled up approximately 1/4 inch, the left wing tip was bent up and the skin wrinkled. The pressure vessel on the left side of the fuselage was wrinkled. The tire tread on the right main landing gear assembly was severely worn. An examination of the remaining airplane systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed no anomalies.

The routine aviation weather report (METAR) in Pueblo, Colorado, (30 nautical miles east of 1V6), taken at 1253, reported the winds as 110 degrees at 10 knots. The METAR in Colorado Springs, Colorado, (30 nautical miles northeast of 1V6), taken at 1254, reported the winds as 140 degrees at 12 knots. METAR reports taken approximately 1 hour prior to the accident reported the winds as 110 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 15 knots, and 180 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots, respectively. The pilot stated that there were "buildups in the area, and turbulence was continuous light to moderate." the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing factors include the crosswind and windshear conditions.