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DEN89LA109

1989-04-17 · GLENWOOD SPGS, Colorado, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GLW

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF FINAL APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DOWNDRAFT.

Factual narrative

THE PRIVATE PLT/A&P MECHANIC WAS FERRYING AN ACFT TO HIS FBO TO PERFORM AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. DURING FINAL APPROACH TO RWY 32, A 3,300 X 50 FT, ASPHALT RWY, THE PLT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG TURBULENCE. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 200 FT SHORT OF THE RWY, ON A PAVED HIGHWAY. THE ACFT SLID ONTO THE RWY AND MADE A SLOW LEFT TURN, COMING TO REST 300 FEET LEFT OF THE RWY CENTERLINE, WITH COMPLETE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION SHOWED EVIDENCE THAT THE LEFT TIRE TOUCHED DOWN HARD, AND THE LEFT STRUT MADE SCRAPE MARKS WITHIN 5 FT. THE ACFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND AT THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT PROPELLER MADE STRIKE MARKS. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT THE ACFT HAD HIT A LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR ON FINAL. HE ALSO SAID HE THOUGHT THE LEFT AXLE BROKE OFF DUE TO FATIGUE. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AXLE AND STATED THAT HE DISCOVERED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING CRACKS OR FATIGUE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_DEN89LA109.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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