Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80111
Friday, August 30, 1985 23:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE HAD APPROXIMATELY 1/2 FULL TANKS OF FUEL WHEN HE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT ON A LOCAL NIGHT FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE FLEW BURNING FUEL FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AFTER A FLIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES, WHEN HE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. HE STATED THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK BUT THEN SWITCHED IT BACK TO THE LEFT TANK MOMENTS LATER WHEN THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THEENG PERFORMANCE. THE ENG QUIT AND THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/30/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2345
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ENGLEWOOD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80111
Event Date Year 1985
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 100
Airport Elevation 5872
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2345 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID APA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5872
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2005
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29399
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5418F
NTSB Number DEN85LA231
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 287790116
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 28 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 1602
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES & CYNTHIA COLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5966 SOUTH KENTON
Aircraft Owner City ENGLEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80110
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12780 E CONTROL TOWER ROAD
Operator City ENGLEWOOD
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80111
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 No
Departure Airport Code 48V
Departure City ERIE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16R
Runway Length 5145
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --