Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 11, 2000, at 0942 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N2190R, was destroyed during impact with terrain near Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The instrument rated private pilot and his passenger were seriously injured. The pilot was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight to Neosho, Missouri, that was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot had not filed a flight plan.

According to family friends, the pilot and his wife flew from Neosho to Denver on September 9, to watch a Bronco's football game the following day. On September 11, the pilot had his fuel tanks topped off with 24 gallons of 100LL gasoline in preparation for the trip back to Neosho.

The pilot was cleared by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to depart on runway 17L and exit the traffic pattern to the southeast. Shortly after the airplane became airborne, the controller transmitted to the pilot, "you appear to be low to the terrain." The pilot responded by saying "this is 90R, we're not climbing worth Gra_." The controller replied, "do you want to return to the ramp." The controller reported losing sight of the airplane moments later. Several witnesses were walking north on Peoria Street, near the intersection of Mount Belford. They reported that the airplane was flying eastbound over Mount Belford very low and slow. One witness said that the airplane cleared the lampposts by approximately 15 feet. They said that the airplane flew past them (still flying eastbound) for approximately a quarter of a mile and then started a steep turn to the north. They said that the left wing hit the ground and separated from the airplane. The airplane came to rest in a cloud of dust in an open field. They reported that they could hear the engine running until impact.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot's flight logbook indicated that he started flying on December 5, 1987; he had accumulated approximately 535 hours of flight experience at the time of the accident. The pilot had successfully completed a biennial flight review on July 9, 1999.

The pilot's flight logbook indicated that he had flown into Denver, Colorado, on two previous occasions. The first time was on September 1, 1997; the second time was October 7, 1997. The pilot's flight logbook also indicated that the pilot had 44.5 hours of flight time during the 25 months preceding the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a single engine, propeller-driven, four seat airplane manufactured by Piper Aircraft, Inc., in 1969. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4A, four cylinder, reciprocating, horizontally opposed, direct drive, air cooled, normally aspirated (carbureted) engine, which had a maximum takeoff rating of 180 horsepower at sea level. The aircraft logbooks indicated that the last annual inspection was completed on June 21, 2000. At the time of the accident, the airfr