Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On August 21, 2009, approximately 0910 mountain daylight time, a Taylorcraft BCS-65, N8023Q, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Boulder, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was being conducted under the provision of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The local flight departed Boulder Municipal Airport (KBDU), Boulder, Colorado, approximately 0900.

According to the written statement submitted by the pilot, the airplane's engine lost power after taking off from runway 08. She determined that she was not at an altitude sufficient enough to allow for her to return to the airport so she performed a forced landing to an adjacent field. During the forced landing the landing gear "failed." According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector who traveled to the scene, the firewall was wrinkled, both landing gear collapsed, the propeller blades were bent, and the belly of the airplane fuselage was damaged.

According to the pilot, she had approximately nine gallons of fuel on board prior to the accident. Law enforcement officials reported that fuel was leaking from the left side of the airplane. Further examination revealed that the right tank was intentionally plugged and was not being utilized as a source for fuel. Approximately four gallons of fuel was recovered from the left tank following recovery of the airplane.

The engine was examined and run under the auspices of the FAA. The engine started without hesitation and ran for several minutes without any problems. Further examination of the magnetos revealed no anomalies.

The closest official weather observation station was Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC), Denver, Colorado, located nine nautical miles (nm) southeast of the accident site. The weather observation station recorded a temperature between 16 degrees Celsius (C) and 20 degrees C around the time of the accident. Dew point was recorded at 7 and 8 degrees C. A review of the carburetor icing chart revealed conditions were conducive for "serious icing at glide power." A partial loss of engine power during initial climb due to carburetor icing.