Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On July 7, 1999, approximately 1650 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182B, converted to a tailwheel airplane, N7289E, registered to and operated by Homestead Oil, Inc., Morrison, Colorado, was substantially damaged when the aircraft nosed over during landing roll at Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot was not injured but his passenger received serious injuries. No flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight that originated from Valentine, Nebraska, at 1600 central daylight time. The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to the pilot, he made a crosswind landing on runway 26 "for practice." During rollout, the aircraft skidded off the left side of the runway east of taxiway A5 for approximately 30 feet, then nosed over. The aircraft sustained damage to the vertical stabilizer, right wing, and propeller. According to a witness, the winds were from 160 degrees at 17 knots, with gusts to 22 knots, at the time the aircraft landed.

Weather conditions at Denver International Airport, located 7.2 nm to the northwest, were reported as winds from 150 degrees at 18 knots, with gusts to 24 knots. According to the Cessna Aircraft Corporation, neither the 1959 Cessna 182 (nosewheel) nor the Cessna 180 (tailwheel) model Airplane Flight Manuals have demonstrated crosswind component charts, nor were they required for FAA certification. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing roll. A related factor was the gusty quartering tailwind.