Jefferson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Louisville, Colorado 80027
Friday, September 15, 1989 13:36 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & 2 MECHANICS WERE ON A MAINT TEST FLT. AS THE ACFT WAS ON A STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 11 FROM THE WEST, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF TRAFFIC AHEAD & TOLD TO SLOW HIS SPEED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. ABOUT 15 SEC LATER, THE CTLR TOLD THE PLT (OF N63XL) TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN TO THE LEFT FOR SPACING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT ENTER A STEEP BANK (TURN), THEN GO INTO A STEEP SPIRALING, NOSE DOWN, DESCENT & CRASH. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT OR ENGS WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING FOR SPACING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT LOW ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1336
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LOUISVILLE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80027
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JEFFERSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BJC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 330
Airport Elevation 5680
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5600
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7930
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2032
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41265
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63XL
NTSB Number DEN89FA217
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31T2
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31T2
Aircraft Serial Number 31T8166037
Certified Max Gross Weight 9000
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 996
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WIDEFIELD HOMES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3 WIDEFIELD BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City COLORADO SPRGS
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80911
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BJC
Departure City BROOMFIELD
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1312
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 9000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --