Stapleton International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80224
Sunday, July 7, 1991 9:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SELECTED 25 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 26L FROM INTERSECTION B5 (4465 FEET OF RUNWAY AVAILABLE, 10,004 FEET TOTAL LENGTH). HE SAID THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, THEN THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. WHEN HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO INCREASE AIRSPEED, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED. WHEN HE RAISED THE NOSE TO CHECK THE DESCENT, THE STALL WARNING HORN AGAIN SOUNDED. THIS SITUATION CONTINUED UNTIL THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO MAKE A CONTROLLED CRASH INTO A TREE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE 7181 FEET. THE WINDS WERE FROM 010 DEGREES AT 21 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT ENRICHED THE MIXTURE BEFORE TAKING OFF, THEN CONFIRMED THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE WERE 'FULLY OPEN' AFTER THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. HE NOTED THAT THE TACHOMETER FOR THE FIXED PITCH PROPELLER WAS INDICATING 2400 RPM AT MAXIMUM POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: A TAIL WIND, THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY LEAN THE MIXTURE, AND HIS FAILURE TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80224
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DEN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 255
Airport Elevation 5333
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 21
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7181
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1777
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45655
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8256R
NTSB Number DEN91FA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8116017
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 14 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 4328
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NASSAU FLYERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HANGAR 3, REPUBLIC AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City FARMINGDALE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11735
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NASSAU FLYERS, INC.
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 920
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAF
Destination City SANTA FE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26L
Runway Length 10004
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --