Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On March 24, 1998, at 1230 mountain standard time, a Boeing A75N (PT-17), N59448, received substantial damage when a ground loop occurred during landing at Grand Junction Municipal Airport, Grand Junction, Colorado. The private pilot was not injured and no flight plan was filed for this cross- country flight to Aspen, Colorado. The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Grand junction at 1220.

In an interview, the pilot said he took off and stayed in the pattern to "do some touch-and-go landings." According to his statement, the last wind check he received from the control tower prior to his first landing was from 260 degrees magnetic heading at 12 knots. He was landing on runway 29 and the recorded wind taken by the tower at 1258 was from 160 degrees magnetic at 5 knots. The pilot said that, during landing roll, a gust of wind picked up the left wing and the right lower wing struck the runway. He said he was able to stop the aircraft, and he then taxied to the hangar.

The pilot also stated this was his first flight after the aircraft had been in a hangar for the winter, and as such he lacked recent experience.

Examination of the aircraft by a certified mechanic provided information that damage was to the right lower wing, right aileron, and right lower wing spar. Failure by the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft during landing roll. Factors were variable winds and the pilot's lack of recent experience in make and model.