On August 17, 2005, a Piper PA-18A-135 (registration N7172K) was involved in an aviation accident near Cedaredge, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, and the pilot's improper in-flight planning. Contributing to the accident was the wind shift, resultant tailwind, and the inadvertent stall. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing flare on runway 35, wind shifted from headwind to tailwind, causing increased groundspeed. Go-around attempted, but airplane stalled and fell onto fence and rocks, resulting in substantial damage.
Incident Details
According to the pilot, the accident occurred during an attempted landing on runway 35. While in the landing flare, the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind, resulting in a tailwind of 15-20 knots and an increased groundspeed.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around procedure. The airplane then stalled and fell approximately 15 feet onto a fence and rocks along the fence, causing substantial damage. The pilot reported that the wind was from 160 degrees at 12 knots with gusts of 18 knots, and there was light turbulence at the time of the accident.
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