Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80112
Thursday, August 24, 1989 12:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) & DUAL STUDENT WERE PRACTICING SIMULATED INSTRUMENT APCHS. DRG AN APCH, THE LANDING GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. THE PILOTS WERE UNABLE TO EXTEND THE GEAR BY USING EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN APCH WAS MADE TO RWY 17 FOR A WHEELS UP LANDING. TO MINIMIZE THE RISKS OF SPARKS & FIRE, THE CFI ELECTED TO LAND THE ACFT ON DIRT, SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD, THEN ALLOW THE ACFT TO SKID ONTO THE PAVED RWY. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNAWARE OF A 6 INCH LIP AT THE RWY THRESHOLD. THE CFI RPRTD THAT DRG THE WHEELS UP LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK THE RAISED LIP, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD IMPACT. THE CFI RECEIVED A COMPRESSION FRACTURE OF HIS BACK. A POST-ACDNT EXAM OF THE HYDRAULIC POWER UNIT REVEALED A 'LEE PLUG' HAD 'BLOWN OUT.' WITH THE PLUG OUT, NO ENG DRIVEN OR EMERGENCY PUMP PRESSURE COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO THE GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE IN THE HYRDRAULIC POWER UNIT, WHICH PREVENTED OPERATION OF EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEMS. THE RAISED RUNWAY LIP CONTRIBUTED TO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND PILOT INJURY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ENGLEWOOD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80112
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CENTENNIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID APA
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 5872
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 Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1469
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 24 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39814
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6121R
NTSB Number DEN89LA199
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model T210F
Aircraft Series Identifier T210F
Aircraft Serial Number T210-0021
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 Mar 18 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2292
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GORDON VAUGHN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3220 S. FORREST
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80222
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code APA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
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 Landing
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 17
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --