Piper PA28 N8641W accident near Falcon, Colorado

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path and his delayed decision to go around, which resulted in impact with a construction barrier before the runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to land on a runway closed for landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the main runway was closed at the airport, so he planned to make a short-field landing on a perpendicular 2,084-ft-long runway (runway 8). During landing, the airplane "ended up short," and he attempted to go around, but he did not add power fast enough. The airplane impacted a construction barrier near the runway threshold, and the left main landing gear separated. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Archived NOTAMs for the date of the accident stated the following: RWY 15/33 CLSD; RWY 08 CLSD TO LDG; RWY 26 CLSD EXC FSL. The airport manager reported that runway 15/33 was closed due to construction and that they issued a NOTAM with the intention that pilots could take off on runway 8 and conduct only full-stop landings on runway 26 to avoid construction equipment.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA19CA471 for the full record.