Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elizabeth, Colorado 80107
Saturday, April 21, 1990 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL, (CFI), PILOT WAS PERFORMING A TRAINING FLIGHT. DURING SINGLE ENGINE TRAINING, THE LEFT PROPELLER BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED RETURN TO FLAT PITCH. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS, MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, AND INSPECTED THE PROPELLER. AFTER AN EXTENSIVE RUNUP, THE CFI ELECTED TO ATTEMPT A TKAEOFF FROM A NEARBY DIRT ROAD. DURING INITIAL CLIMB, AT 20 FEET AGL, THE LEFT PROPELLER WENT INTO FLAT PITCH, CAUSED THE PLANE TO YAW TO THE LEFT, THE LEFT WING DROPPED AND THE PLANE LANDED HARD, WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. THE LANDING GEAR, BOTH WINGS, AND THE GUSELAGE WERE BENT AND TWISTED. THE LEFT PROPELLER DOME SHOWED EVIDENCE OF OIL LEAKAGE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THE LEFT ENGINE CONTAINED 3 QUARTS OF OIL, WHICH WAS BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL. ONE PROPELLER BLADE ON THE LEFT ENGINE HAD A BROKEN PITCH CHANGE LINK. THE DOME WAS EXTENSIVELY CRACKED AND HAD BEGUN TO DISINTEGRATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO TAKEOFF WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY AND THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER FEATHERING SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ELIZABETH
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80107
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 947
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42118
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6641B
NTSB Number DEN90LA098
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 Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310B
Aircraft Series Identifier 310B
Aircraft Serial Number 35741
Certified Max Gross Weight 4990
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 25 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 77
Airframe Hours 4625
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PREFERRED AVITATION, LTD.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 13000 E. CONTROL TOWER RD.
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 No
Departure Airport Code APA
Departure City DENVER
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code APA
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 10:30AM
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 --