Piper/Cub Crafters PA-18-150 accident near USAF Academy, CO
On April 26, 2002, a Piper/Cub Crafters PA-18-150 (airplane) was involved in an accident near USAF Academy, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 26, 2002
- Place
- USAF Academy, CO
- Aircraft
- Piper/Cub Crafters PA-18-150 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.984°N, 104.840°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020510X00654
Official records · DEN02GA039
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Radio Communications Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 26, 2002, at 1208 mountain daylight time, a Piper/Cub Crafters PA-18-150, N990CC, registered to Doss Aviation of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and operated by the United States Air Force Academy, was destroyed when it struck trees and terrain following an uncontrolled descent while towing a Schwiezer T6-4A glider, N7538, at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the public use flight being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated at 1204. The following is based on personal interviews with, and a written statement from, the cadet glider instructor. The instructor allowed the cadet student pilot to attempt the takeoff to the south, but "he got us off center and I was forced to take the plane from him." When the tow plane and glider turned onto the crosswind leg, the glider instructor "noticed something strange. The tow pilot flew directly west for a much longer period of time than usual." Once they had turned onto the downwind leg, however, the instructor allowed the student to take control of the glider. "Almost immediately, [he] got out of position, namely, a little high and right [of] the tow plane." The instructor took over and pointed out the student's mistake. When he was given control again, "the same thing happened and he proceeded to get high and right once again." The instructor took control again "only this time when I tried to recover I noticed the tow pla
Probable cause
The loss of control for undetermined reasons.
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Browse: Colorado
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
