Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On August 28, 1999, approximately 1130 mountain daylight time, a North American SNJ-4 (AT-6), N7011C, operated by Loma Enterprises LLC, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during a landing approach and subsequent nose over at Mack Mesa Airstrip, Mack, Colorado. The commercial pilot received minor injuries but the single passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Walker Field, Grand Junction, Colorado, approximately 1100.

The pilot indicated in his accident report that he had landed at Mack Mesa Airport "at least a dozen times" in the past 15 years, and was aware of "a low crop at the approach end of [runway] 25." He said he had this same picture in his mind as he made his approach. When he was approximately 200 to 300 feet from the runway, he realized he was too low (the corn stalks were 8 to 10 feet tall). He applied power and up elevator, but the airplane contacted the corn stalks, settled to the ground, rolled a short distance, then nosed over. Both wings and the horizontal and vertical stabilizers were extensively damaged. The pilot misjudging his distance and altitude from the runway. A factor was the tall crops.