Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On April 26, 1996, at 0948 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N75839, owned by a private owner and operated by Mile High Aviation Services, Inc., was substantially damaged during landing at Broomfield, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The student pilot was not injured. The Title 14 CFR Part 91 training flight originated at Broomfield, Colorado at 0915.

According to the pilot's accident report, this was a "supervised solo training flight," and he made two touch and go landings in what he described as "mild turbulence." While on the downwind leg for the third approach, the control tower operator advised the pilot that the wind velocity had increased to 15 knots. When the airplane was on final approach, the pilot was advised the wind velocity had dropped to 5 knots. The pilot said he was not aligned with, but was to the left of, the runway centerline. He maneuvered to align the airplane with the runway. The airplane touched down with a side load because the nose was not pointed down the runway. The airplane departed the left side of the runway onto a high speed turnoff, crossed a parallel taxiway and struck the taxiway sign. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to a halt on the parking ramp..

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane touched down 3,000 feet beyond runway 11L threshold. According to the official weather observation taken at the time of the accident, the wind was from 070 degrees at 10 knots, with gusts to 16 knots. the student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to obtain/maintain directional control. A factor was the cross wind.