Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80112
Tuesady, May 30, 2000 16:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an instructional flight, while practicing an engine out approach to land, the student pilot failed to lower the landing gear. The tower asked the pilot to 'verify gear down' and the flight instructor initiated a go-around on short final. The aircraft settled and landed with the landing gear retracted on the grass beside the runway causing damage to the propellers and underside of the aircraft hull. The flight instructor said the engines failed to respond; however, an examination of the engines by an FAA airworthiness inspector produced no evidence of preimpact malfunction or failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

In-flight planning and decision by the flight instructor by allowing the student to fly into a hazardous situation. Factors were the flight instructor delaying extending the landing gear and delaying a go-around.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ENGLEWOOD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80112
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 5
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID APA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5883
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8100
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) 123
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date May 30 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1943
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8303P
NTSB Number DEN00LA097
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-44-180T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44-180T
Aircraft Serial Number 44-8107031
Certified Max Gross Weight 3925
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 3 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 5848
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELDRED J. WESTBACK
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 412
Aircraft Owner City FRANKTON
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80116
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ASPEN FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 13000 E. CNTRL TWR RD. BOX K13
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code APA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35L
Runway Length 7003
Runway Width 77
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --