Aurora Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watkins, Colorado 80137
Wednesday, March 8, 1989 14:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N3278C, A WESTBOUND QUICKIE Q2, AND N7392G, A NORTHBOUND CESSNA 172K, COLLIDED IN MIDAIR AT RELATIVELY LOW ALT. VMC PREVAILED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT EITHER PLT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION PRIOR TO THE COLLISION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF BOTH PILOT'S TO MAINTAIN VISUAL LOOKOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1455
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City WATKINS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80137
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AURORA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q1V
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 5680
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID BKF
Elevation of weather observation facility 5663
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7521
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) 941
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39054
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N3278C N7392G
NTSB Number DEN89FA083A DEN89FA083B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CRAVEN'S QUICKIE CESSNA
Aircraft Model Q2 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier Q2 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 2709 17259092
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 28 1988 12:00AM Aug 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24 87
Airframe Hours 62 1219
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT M BUCY FREDERICK L & HAROLD L WRIGHT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1265 VICTOR ST. STAR ROUTE 2, BOX 59
Aircraft Owner City AURORA AKRON
Aircraft Owner State CO CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80011 80720
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name BUCY, ROBERT M. FRED L./HAROLD L. WRIGHT
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address 1265 VICTOR ST. STAR ROUTE 2, BOX 59
Operator City AURORA AKRON
Operator State CO CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80011 80720
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Business
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code 01V
Departure City WATKINS AKRON
Departure State CO CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430 1330
Departure Time Zone MST MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere --
Destination Airport Code 01V 01V
Destination City WATKINS
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent Descent
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14 14
Runway Length 4694 4694
Runway Width 40 40
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --