Boulder Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boulder, Colorado 80303
Wednesday, March 24, 1993 13:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR DECIDED TO SIMULATE A POWER LOSS BY CLOSING THE THROTTLE. THE STUDENT RESPONDED BY TURNING TOWARDS THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THE AIRPLANE WAS AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE STUDENT TO ADD POWER AND SHE DID. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE SAW TREES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AIRPLANE THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD CLEAR. HE DID NOT, HOWEVER, SEE A TREE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TREE. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT. A FACTOR WAS: THE STUDENT PILOT'S RESTRICTED VISUAL LOOKOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BOULDER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80303
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOULDER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1V5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5288
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 145
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5657
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7235
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 170
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50517
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N876CB
NTSB Number DEN93LA035
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 PITTS
Aircraft Model S2B
Aircraft Series Identifier S2B
Aircraft Serial Number 5033
Certified Max Gross Weight 1700
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 30 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 1660
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NEW ATTITUDE AEROBATICS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10860 W. EVANS AVE., SUITE 50
Aircraft Owner City LAKEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80227
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLATIRONS AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3300 AIRPORT ROAD, BOX L
Operator City BOULDER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80301
Operator Code YFAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 1V5
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 1V5
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 8
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --