Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On May 2, 1998, approximately 1530 mountain daylight time, N5043N, a Bellanca 8GCBC, operated by Fischer Agency, Inc., was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway and nosed over during landing at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot, the sole occupant onboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated 15 minutes prior to the accident.

The pilot said that after towing a glider aloft and releasing it, he returned to the airport and landed on runway 16R. He said the wind was reported to be from the east "and within crosswind limits." The crosswind "did not seem to be very strong until after touchdown, when an extra strong gust appeared to hit very suddenly and unexpectedly." The pilot used aileron and rudder to maintain runway alignment, but the left wing "seemed to touch the runway momentarily," then the "right wing went down very suddenly and stayed down." The airplane veered left and departed the runway with the right wing dragging against the ground. The aircraft slowed rapidly and nosed over.

The pilot said the tower had received a warning for wind gusts over 25 knots at about the time he touched down, but had not had time to broadcast this information. There were "small thunderstorms and nimbocumulus (clouds) all over the area, the nearest about 1-2 miles northeast." The pilot added that "this was the most concentrated, localized, and gustiest wind condition" he had ever encountered in the 20,000 landings he has made at the Academy. He said there are wind sensors at each end of the runway, and several wind socks around the field. The wind sock opposite the accident site "was straight out and at right angles to the runway."

According to the Bellanca 8GCBC Airplane Flight Manual, the demonstrated crosswind velocity is 15 knots. Under the conditions reported by the pilot, the crosswind component was between 25 and 30 knots.

Only minor damage was thought to have been incurred, but a later and more detailed examination disclosed a cracked right wing rear spar. The right wing tip and right wheel hub were also destroyed. The pilot exceeding the airplane's crosswind component, and his failure to maintain directional control. Factors were the crosswind and gusts.