Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80100
Sunday, December 1, 1985 18:08 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD BEEN FLYING APRX 7 HRS AND WAS COMPLETING THE FLT AT NIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE WAS USING VISUAL CUES (THE ARPT ENVIROMENT) TO POSITION THE ACFT AT A PROPER ALT FOR A VISUAL APCH AND LANDING. THE TERRAIN SOUTH OF THE ARPT RISES SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET ABOVE THE ARPT ELEVATION. THE TERRAIN IS SPARSELY LIT. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 2 MILES SHORT OF RWY 34R IN AN OPEN PASTURE AT AN ELEV OF APRX 400 FT HIGHER THAN THE ARPT. THE PLT HAD FLOWN APRX 1 HR OF NIGHT TIME IN THE LAST 90 DAYS, ACCORDING TO HIS LOGBOOK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/1/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1808
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ENGLEWOOD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80100
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 150
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1745 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID APA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5872
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
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) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2812
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30658
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 N9250Y
NTSB Number DEN86FA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31P8414029
Certified Max Gross Weight 7200
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 21 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 296
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ZILFI INVESTMENT CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1401 17TH ST., SUITE 1510
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80202
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ELP
Departure City EL PASO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City ENGLEWOOD
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --