Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80112
Saturday, August 5, 1995 9:16 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON RUNWAY 17L, WHICH IS 10,001 FEET LONG AND 100 FEET WIDE. THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT SAID HE FAILED TO APPLY SUFFICIENT AILERON INTO THE RIGHT CROSSWIND AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE. THE PILOT HESITATED TO INITIATE AN ABORTED LANDING BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY EDGE. HE THEN DECIDED TO ABORT THE LANDING AND APPLIED FULL POWER. AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. A WEATHER OBSERVATION MADE SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THE WINDS WERE FROM 200 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL OF 48 HOURS FLIGHT TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE 6 KNOT CROSSWIND. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING AN ABORTED LANDING AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 916
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ENGLEWOOD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80112
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CENTENNIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID APA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5883
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 845 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID APA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5883
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7777
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 669
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15621
NTSB Number FTW95LA329
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7305100
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKYLINE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1050 S. STATE ST.
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALTITUDES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1300 E. CONTROL TOWER RD.
Operator City ENGLEWOOD
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80112
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 No
Departure Airport Code PUB
Departure City PUEBLO
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 17L
Runway Length 10001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --