Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On August 27, 1995, at 0030 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-181, N8450B, landed in a runway construction zone at Fort Collins/Loveland Airport, Fort Collins, Colorado. The private pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred and a VFR flight plan was on file. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area personal flight which originated at Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado at 2345.

The accident occurred on runway 33, of which 4,000 feet of the 8,500 foot runway was closed for repaving. The construction zone was properly marked and NOTAMs (notice to airmen) were on file regarding the partial closure. (Copies of the NOTAMs and an airport diagram are attached).

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he checked NOTAMs with flight service and was aware of the partial closure of the runway, but thought only 400 feet of the runway was closed. He said he was trying to land as close to the temporary threshold lights as possible and touched down early.

Witness marks in the construction zone provided evidence that the aircraft touched down approximately 2,000 feet short of the temporary threshold. The pilot said he heard a loud noise following touch down and added power when he saw barricades in front of the aircraft. He said he flew over the barricades and relanded on the open portion of the runway. He said he then taxied clear of the runway and inspected the aircraft.

According to the pilot, the damage did not look serious so he flew the aircraft back to Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado.

Examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector provided evidence of compression damage to the leading edge of the right wing, compression damage to the bottom of the right wing, damage to the right wing fuel tank, and a slice in the right flap.

Examination of the runway facilities by this investigator provided evidence that the strobe lights were off, the VASI (visual approach slope indicator) was off, the runway lights in the construction zone were covered, and the threshold lights were off, with temporary threshold lights installed at the end of the construction zone.

The construction zone consisted of 4,000 feet of asphalt which had been peeled for repaving. Steel rods approximately three quarters of an inch in diameter and 30 inches in height protruded from the centerline of the runway in the construction zone. These were to serve as guide markers for the paving equipment. FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: A MISREADING OR MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE NOTAMS.