Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On January 15, 2007, at 1937 mountain standard time, a Piaggio Industrie P180, N17PA, piloted by an airline transport certificated pilot, was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway and collided with terrain during landing at the Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), Eagle, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The pilot, the sole occupant on board the airplane, was not injured. The cross-country flight originated at Aurora, Illinois, approximately 1800 central standard time, and was en route to Eagle, Colorado.

According to the pilot, he landed on runway 25 and when he retarded the power levers (but before going into reverse), the airplane began to swerve and he corrected with rudder. The right tire then blew out and directional control was lost. The airplane went off the right side of the runway and collided with a snow bank. Post-accident examination revealed the left wing tip was crushed and the composite canard wing was fractured. Examination of the airplane by the operator's mechanic revealed no mechanical malfunction with the airframe, powerplants, or systems.

The airport fire department said the airplane went off the 8,000-foot runway at the 5,000-foot mark after leaving a 1,664-foot skid mark. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll.