Winds cause heavy damage to Pete facility

  • Published
  • By Monica Mendoza
  • 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  Hangar 133 on the flightline here is expected to have its new roof completed by June 30.

This time the hangar's rooftop will be fortified with an extra layer of wood and a rubber cover in hopes that it won't blow its lid again, should scolding winds race through Peterson as they did on May 25. The wind blasts caused $140,000 worth of damage to the hangar and damaged two Aero Club airplanes; one is expected to be a total loss.

On that day, southern Colorado was affected by wind gusts of up to 60 mph, leading the National Weather Service to issue a high wind warning.

Hangar 133's 15-year-old roof peeled back and flew off its mounting just before 12:30 p.m. Some of the ripped pieces of insulation, boards and tar landed on two airplanes tied down at the hangar's lot. The building was evacuated, as were other nearby facilities, while the rest of the base was directed to hunker down due to the threat of flying debris.

By 2 p.m. the wind had subsidied and people were allowed to retrieve their cars from around the evacuated buildings. By then, the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron was assessing the damage. Within two days the 21st CES had a temporary roof on the hangar.

"Fifty-percent of the roof (on hangar 133) had blown off," said Phil Algien, 21st CES special assessment baseline review project manager who is overseeing the repair work. "We've had minor damage - pulled off gutters, things like that -- in the past due to wind, but never to this extent."

Bob Jerman, Peterson's Aero Club chief flight instructor, said the roof debris smacked the nose of a single-engine Cessna 172 and broke its spine. The engine mounts were bent, one of the wings was severely damaged and the firewalls buckled. A refurbishing company has made a bid, but Mr. Jerman said it might cost more to repair than the plane's current value of $83,000 and it could be deemed a total loss by the insurance company. It will be a big loss for the club, Mr. Jerman said. The Cessna 172 was its newest plane used in training, purchased in 2000 by the 21st Force Support Squadron.

A second plane, a Cessna T-41, was also hit by the roof debris and suffered broken struts and wing damage. The plane has been repaired and Mr. Jerman has already flown it.

Even as the construction of the hangar roof has gone on, the Aero Club is still in operation and is offering pilot training lessons, Mr. Jerman said.

"We will lose revenue on that (Cessna 172) aircraft," Mr. Jerman said, but the club is still open providing flight services for its customers.

For more information on Peterson's Aero Club, click here.

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