Jefferson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Broomfield, Colorado 80021
Sunday, May 1, 1994 12:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO RETURN FOR AN IMMEDIATE LANDING. A WITNESS SAID THAT HE HEARD A METALLIC NOISE FROM THE PLANE AS IT PASSED OVERHEAD. HE SAID THE PILOT MADE A STEEP RIGHT BANK TO LAND ON RUNWAY 29L; HOWEVER, THE PLANE IMPACTED BETWEEN THE PARALLEL RUNWAYS. AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED 2 FINGER-TIGHT CYLINDER BASE NUTS & UNDERTORQUED BASE NUTS & CRANKCASE THROUGH-NUTS. A TEARDOWN REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE BETWEEN THE #3 & #4 CONNECTING ROD JOURNALS. A METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE CRANKSHAFT REVEALED HIGH LOCALIZED STRESS-INDUCED FATIGUE CRACKS. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 266 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL ON 1/11/91. THE PLANE HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH 2 STC'S, 1 FOR INSTALLATION OF A RAYJAY TURBOCHARGER, ANOTHER FOR INSTALLATION OF A 'BLACKMAC' PROPELLER. THE HOLDER OF THE PROPELLER STC REPORTED THE COMPANY WOULD NOT HAVE INSTALLED THE PROPELLER ON A TURBOCHARGED ENGINE, SINCE CERTIFICATION VIBRATORY TESTS WERE ONLY MADE ON NORMALLY ASPIRATED ENGINES. AFTER INSTALLATION ON 1/17/91, THE PROPELLER WAS REMOVED ON 3/19/91 FOR STATIC BALANCE & 'RE-INDEX PROP #1 BLADE 180 DEGREES;' ON 3/28/91, IT WAS REMOVED FOR A BLADE ANGLE CHECK; AND ON 5/23/91, IT RECEIVED A DYNAMIC BALANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNDESIRABLE ENGINE/PROPELLER VIBRATION, AND THE LOOSE CRANKCASE AND CYLINDER BASE NUTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/1/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1220
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BROOMFIELD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80021
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JEFFERSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BJC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5657
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1229 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5671
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6821
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 653
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 1 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1305
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:12AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1905Y
NTSB Number FTW94FA141
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 288
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 25 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 4412
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERBOSH, GEORGE M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13462 SHILOH DR., P.O. BOX 689
Aircraft Owner City CONIFER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80433
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BJC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1218
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code BJC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29L
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --