Vance Brand Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Longmont, Colorado 80502
Saturday, August 25, 1990 10:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE QUIT. HALF THE RUNWAY REMAINED AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING FROM 100 FEET AGL. THE PILOT HAD RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR, BUT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER IT FOR THE LANDING. THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE GEAR STILL IN TRANSIT. THE PLANE SLID TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND CAME TO REST OFF THE END AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT WING SPAR WAS DAMAGED. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE GASCOLATOR AND ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM CONTAINED ONLY TRACES OF FUEL, THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED 12 GALLONS AND THE RIGHT CONTAINED 5 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE LEFT TANK WAS SELECTED FOR TAKEOFF, BUT THE RIGHT WAS SELECTED AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. A POSTACCIDENT ENGINE RUN WAS NORMAL AND PROVIDED NO EVIDENCE TO EXPLAIN THE APPARENT FUEL INTERRUPTION. FAA TESTS SHOWED THAT WITH 12 GALLONS, THE NORMAL NOSE UP ANGLE FOR TAKEOFF COULD HAVE UNPORTED. THE FUEL SUPPLY. THESE TESTS WERE CONDUCTED UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING WHILE THE LANDING GEAR WAS STILL IN TRANSIT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LONGMONT
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80502
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VANCE BRAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2V2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5055
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 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) 100
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1285
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42462
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 N31838
NTSB Number DEN90LA174
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-28R201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R201T
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7803301
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 2045
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN SEABURY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3345 HICKOCK PLACE
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80301
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2V2
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1020
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 5CO0
Destination City PARKLAND
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 11
Runway Length 4800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --