Aurora Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aurora, Colorado 80010
Tuesady, October 25, 1994 19:06 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CONDUCTING A NIGHT CHECK OUT INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, AND WHILE IN THE PATTERN, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND WHILE IN A LEFT TURN OFF THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR, DARK NIGHT WITH NO MOON. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE HORIZON IN THE DIRECTION THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD NO NIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE RECENT PAST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CFI's FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE: A DARK, MOONLESS NIGHT WITH NO VISIBLE HORIZON AND RECENCY OF NIGHT EXPERIENCE BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1906
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City AURORA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80010
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AURORA AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O1V
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 110
Airport Elevation 5680
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 275
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5300
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5700
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) 1951
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 25 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8954W
NTSB Number FTW95FA030
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10527
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 21 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2253
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KRAMA, DESHA K.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1955 ULSTER STREET
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80220
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code O1V
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 4694
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --