Tri County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erie, Colorado 80516
Friday, December 30, 1988 17:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT HE MADE A NORMAL PREFLIGHT AND ENGINE RUNUP PRIOR TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 33 AT THE TRI-COUNTY AIRPORT, ERIE, COLORADO. A NORMAL TAKEOFF WAS MADE BUT HE SAID THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED 200 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST ABOUT 400 RPM. WHEN HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING TO UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/30/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ERIE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80516
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 48V
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 5151
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 1967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1657
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38234
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80650
NTSB Number DEN89LA054
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 172666
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Oct 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 4550
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS PIERCE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 350 BARON COURT
Aircraft Owner City ERIE
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80516
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 48V
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1742
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SLN
Destination City SALINA
Destination State KS
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 33
Runway Length 5400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --