FTW94LA011
1993-10-15 · CO. SPRINGS, Colorado, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport COS
N5191F has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (CESSNA 182T, built 2002), which was not involved in this event.
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
AN ENCOUNTER WITH WAKE TURBULENCE DURING THE LANDING FLARE. A FACTOR WAS LACK OF TOTAL PILOT EXPERIENCE.
Factual narrative
On October 15, 1993, at 1015 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172F, N5191F, collided with the ground during landing on runway 17R at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The student pilot was uninjured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the student pilot's first solo flight and no flight plan was filed. The student was following a C-130 aircraft for his first touch and go landing. The tower reported the winds to be calm and cleared the student for a touch and go landing on runway 17R. The controller instructed the student to follow a C-130 aircraft on final to that runway. As the student pilot was entering the flare, the aircraft pitched up and rolled right. According to the student, as he began to regain control, the aircraft struck a taxiway sign and nosed over. The distance and time between the C-130 landing and the student landing could not be determined. A STUDENT PILOT, ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT, WAS CLEARED FOR A TOUCH AND GO LANDING FOLLOWING THE LANDING OF A C-130 AIRCRAFT. DURING THE FLARE, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP AND ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. DURING AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CONTROL, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN AND NOSED OVER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1993_FTW94LA011.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (wake turbulence, turbulence). All research papers
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- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Arrivals (WTMA)
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- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper Aircraft wake turbulence avoidance
Aircraft wake turbulence /trailing vortex systems/ avoidance during flight, describing procedures for pilots and tower operators
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper Aircraft wake turbulence progress and plans
Aircraft wake turbulence and trailing vortices, investigating physical characteristics, hazard potential and avoidance techniques
- SKYbrary (Eurocontrol) 2023 · SKYbrary article Wake Vortex Turbulence — SKYbrary Knowledge Base
SKYbrary wake vortex turbulence comprehensive article — generation mechanics, dissipation factors, separation standards (ICAO LIGHT/MEDIUM/HEAVY/SUPER + recategorisation RECAT-EU).
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Contractor Report (CR) An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm
The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents.