Colorado Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colorado Spring, Colorado 80916
Sunday, April 3, 1988 15:44 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF THE ACFT FAILED TO CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR A UTILITY POLE ONE-HALF MILE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE POLE AND CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE PLT AND THREE PAX WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE ACFT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. AVAILABLE INFORMATION INDICATES THAT POWER REQUIRED WAS GREATER THAN POWER AVAILABLE FOR TAKEOFF AT NEAR MAX GROSS WT FROM THE HIGH ALTITUDE, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE ARPT, AND THE PLT WAS INEXPERIENCED IN HIGH ALTITUDE ARPT OPERATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1544
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City COLORADO SPRING
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80916
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COLORADO SPRINGS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID COS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 340
Airport Elevation 6172
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6172
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 679
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36546
Date of most recent change to record Mar 17 2006 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5WW
NTSB Number DEN88FA090
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E207
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 8 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5083
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WELTY-WAY HELIPORT, INC,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3124 SHASTA CIRCLE NE
Aircraft Owner City CEDAR RAPIDS
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52402
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 656 STAUB CT NE
Operator City CEDAR RAPIDS
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 52402
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 1542
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CID
Destination City CEDAR RAPIDS
Destination State IA
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 35
Runway Length 11021
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --