Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boulder, Colorado 80301
Saturday, July 26, 1986 7:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT FOR BOTH ACFT WAS AN AERIAL PHOTO MISSION. N5113S WAS USED AS THE CAMERA PLATFORM. THE PLTS OF N5113S AND N4346L DISCUSSED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF THE PROCEDURES OF THE FLT. BOTH ACFT DEPARTED AND FLEW A COURSE TO POSITION THE AIRPLANES ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. N5113S WAS TO THE EAST AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND AHEAD OF N4346L. THE PHOTOGRAPHER SHOT ONE ROLL OF FILM AND RELOADED. HE WAS READY TO BEGIN SHOOTING WHEN N4346L BEGAN TO CLOSE IN ON N5113S. THE PLT OF N5113S FELT TWO 'BUMPS' AS N4346L CLOSED, AND DID NOT SEE THE ACFT PASS UNDER. THE PLT OF N5113S MANEUVERED HIS ACFT TO DETERMINE CONTROLLABILITY AND SAW N4346L SPIRALLING TO THE GROUND. EXAM OF N4346L REVEALED THE VERT STAB AND RUDDER HAD SEPARATED IN-FLIGHT. THERE WERE NUMEROUS PAINT SMEARS FOUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE ON N5113S.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/26/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 740
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BOULDER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80301
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 645 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5654
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 16000
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) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6753
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1973
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 26 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32450
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
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 N4346L N5113S
NTSB Number DEN86FA208A DEN86FA208B
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 Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER CESSNA
Aircraft Model PA-46-310P TR-182
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46-310P TR-182
Aircraft Serial Number 46-8408038 R18201507
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100 3100
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 25 1986 12:00AM Mar 11 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 68
Airframe Hours 382 1362
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name HIGH WINDS INC. MAYS AIRCRAFT INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX S 68 WILD HORSE CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80301 80302
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name LOWELL T. DUGAN JOHN BARKIN
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address BOULDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 2838 4TH STREET
Operator City BOULDER BOULDER
Operator State CO CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80301 80302
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) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code IV5 IV5
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 710 710
Departure Time Zone MDT MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --