Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 3, 2006, approximately 1805 Mountain daylight time, a Beech 36 single-engine airplane, N7855R, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a light pole and three unoccupied parked vehicles in a parking lot following a loss of engine power during final approach to runway 17L at Centennial Airport (APA), Centennial, Colorado. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to Baryn Properties, Portland, Oregon, and was operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed San Jose, California, at 1230 Pacific daylight time.

According to APA air traffic control tower controller statements, the pilot was initially cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) runway 35R approach to APA. During the approach, the controllers instructed the pilot to cancel the ILS runway 35R approach, due to a shift in the wind conditions, and enter a right downwind for runway 17L. The controller cleared the pilot to land the airplane on runway 17L. Shortly thereafter, the pilot declared an emergency and stated he was not going to make it to the runway.

The pilot reported that during the downwind leg for runway 17L, he performed his "GUMPS" check, which included verifying the fuel selector position and extending the landing gear. The pilot lowered the flaps during the base leg. During the base leg to final approach turn, the pilot advanced the mixture lever to full rich, the propeller lever to full forward, and secured his seatbelt. At the time the pilot advanced the mixture and propeller controls, "there wasn't any change in the engine noise and the engine RPMs were noted to have fallen to 1,500 RPMs." At some point during the final approach, the engine lost power. The pilot twice attempted to restart the engine, however, the restarts were not successful. The pilot declared an emergency and executed a forced landing to the partially vacant parking lot.

During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that he believed he had pushed the mixture, propeller, and throttle controls forward during his GUMP check and did not move the controls after the accident occurred. The inspector informed the pilot that the investigation team noted the fuel boost pump in the off position, and the pilot responded, "Well, then it was off for landing." The inspector asked him why he pushed the mixture full rich for landing and the pilot responded, "This engine was turbo normalized and that full rich was the proper position for the mixture for landing even at this altitude (5,000 feet)...pushing the mixture full rich on this engine doesn't make any difference because the engine thinks its at sea level." The pilot added that the engine did not surge like it normally did when he pushed i