Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80112
Saturday, February 1, 1992 8:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR THE AMATEUR HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE. THE PILOT WAS SEEN TO USE ABOUT 6975 FEET OF THE 10,001 FOOT RUNWAY BEFORE LIFTING OFF. THE PILOT SAID HE ROTATED AND CLIMBED OUT AT 67 MPH. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND THE RIGHT WING DROPPED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO 'MUSH' THE AIRPLANE ONTO THE GROUND. TOWER CONTROLLERS SAID THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF IN AN EXTREME NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND APPEARED TO STALL. PILOTS FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPLANE SAID THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROTATED BETWEEN 80-85 MPH IAS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER VR SPEED USED, CAUSING AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. A FACTOR WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN AIRCRAFT MAKE AND MODEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 840
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ENGLEWOOD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80112
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5883
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 82
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45964
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N689W
NTSB Number DEN92LA029
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 WARFIELD
Aircraft Model BD-4
Aircraft Series Identifier BD-4
Aircraft Serial Number 689
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Feb 15 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 8
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WARFIELD, ROBERT W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8721 E. KETTLE CIR.
Aircraft Owner City ENGLEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80112
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WARFIELD, ROBERT W.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 10001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --