Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 19, 1998, at 1248 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T-310P, N5833M, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when the pilot made a forced landing following an engine fire near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The private pilot and his one passenger received minor injuries. The flight was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan had been filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight which originated from Englewood, Colorado, approximately 13 minutes before the accident.

According to the pilot, he and his wife were on a 10-day cross-country trip, and were returning to their final destination of Abilene, Texas. The preflight and run-up prior to departure from Centennial Airport were normal. At 13,700 feet msl, while still in a climb, the pilot contacted Colorado Springs approach control and was given a heading to fly to avoid parachutists. At that time, his wife noticed "charring of the paint on [the] right engine vents." The pilot then observed flames inside the right cowling. He advised approach control that he needed to make an emergency landing at Colorado Springs Airport. He retarded the throttle and mixture to the idle positions, and feathered the propeller on the right engine. The fire continued to "grow and worsen," at which time he requested vectors to the closest airport.

The pilot advised approach control that the fire was growing, and was instructed to squawk 7700 and to pick a field in which to land. After selecting a field, he lowered the landing gear and applied full flaps. The gear down and locked light failed to illuminate, and due to the aircraft's high rate of speed during the landing approach, he attempted to unfeather the propeller to increase drag. A witness observed the aircraft at approximately 100 feet above the ground prior to landing and the "right engine was flaming with fire."

The pilot landed the aircraft on the left main landing gear. The aircraft bounced once, and the pilot added slight power on the left engine. The airplane then settled back on the left landing gear. The pilot kept the airplane on the left gear for as long as possible. Once the right landing gear made contact with the ground, the right landing gear collapsed, followed by the right wing separating from the aircraft. The owner of the property where the aircraft landed witnessed the accident and observed that the right wing "broke off" upon impact. The aircraft then nosed over, slid for approximately 200 yards, then came to rest. The pilot exited through the window of the right door, and his wife exited on the left side through a broken window.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, Timothy Simpson, was born on April 12, 1957. He holds Private Pilot Certificate No. 466198965, with airplane single and multiengine land and instrument ratings. He also holds a third class airman medical certificate, dated August 16, 1997, with no restric