Casualties unknown

Pilot Reports Attempting to Avoid Horse During Pasture Landing (N4055Z)

Cortez, CO, US

On October 26, 2005, a Piper PA-18-150 (registration N4055Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Cortez, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, resulting in a ground loop. Contributing factors were the excessive descent rate, the obstacle (horse), the high density altitude, and the tailwind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that while attempting to land in a pasture, he avoided a horse by landing long, then tried a go-around but could not arrest the sink rate. The left wing struck the ground, rotating the aircraft 180 degrees.

Incident Details

A pilot recounted an accident during an attempted landing in a pasture adjacent to his home. According to the pilot, he noticed a horse near the approach end of the intended landing area. To avoid the animal, he elected to land long, but subsequently realized there was insufficient remaining pasture. He initiated a go-around by adding full power, but was unable to arrest the sink rate. The pilot then decided to land the airplane in the remaining pasture, touching down with power applied in a nose-high attitude at stall speed. The left wing struck the ground, causing the airplane to rotate 180 degrees to the left, and the right wingtip dragged along the ground during the rotation.

Pilot's Account

The pilot stated that he was not accustomed to the extra weight of a full fuel load combined with carrying a rear seat passenger. Additionally, he noted a 5-knot tailwind was present during the landing attempt.

Environmental Factors

The density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be 7,741 feet mean sea level (msl).

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20051103X01775. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.