Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Franktown, Colorado 80116
Tuesady, December 21, 1993 21:18 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN CRUISE FLIGHT, ON A VFR/IFR FLIGHT PLAN, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE ICE. ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND POWER WAS REPORTEDLY LOST TO ONE ENGINE. A FORCED LANDING WAS CONDUCTED TO A WOODED AREA. WEATHER WAS IFR IN HEAVY SNOW WITH TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT OF 21 DEGREES. BOTH ENGINES WERE EXAMINED AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE DISCOVERED. THE PILOT STATED THAT CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED AFTER LOSING POWER TO ONE ENGINE. THE PILOT AND THE ATP RATED PASSENGER REQUESTED AND RECEIVED SEVERAL WEATHER REPORTS ON EN ROUTE AND DESTINATION CONDITIONS. THESE REPORTS FORECAST THE ENCOUNTERED CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS AND DELAYED APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT, RESULTING IN STRUCTURAL AND INDUCTION ICING. FACTORS WERE THE ICING CONDITIONS AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2118
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City FRANKTOWN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80116
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1951 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID APA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5883
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 4
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1719
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 22 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4382P
NTSB Number FTW94FA052
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-160
Aircraft Serial Number 23-1890
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 24 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 153
Airframe Hours 2798
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MORAN, CHARLES G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 126 DORSET CT.
Aircraft Owner City CASTLE ROCK
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80104
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SLN
Departure City SALINA
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City ENGLEWOOD
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --