Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Lupton, Colorado 80621
Wednesday, August 1, 1984 16:35 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PREFLT WX BRIEFING, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF THUNDERSTORMS & INTENSE RAIN SHOWERS ON THE ROUTE OF FLT. HOWEVER, HE FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN & TOOK OFF. DURING FLT, THE ATC CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PLT OF A LEVEL 6 CELL AHEAD & NOTED THAT HE HAD NO REPORT ON ITS TOP. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS 'NOT SHOWING ANYTHING' ON HIS RADAR. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO DEVIATE. APRX 20 MIN LATER, THE PLT REPORTED THE ACFT WAS ENCOUNTERING ICING CONDITIONS & WAS LOSING ALT. AFTER ANOTHER 1 MIN & 38 SEC, HE REPORTED 'WE'RE GOING IN.' SUBSEQUENTLY, AN IN-FLT BREAKUP OCCURRED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER A 1/2 MI AREA. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE OUTBOARD WING PANELS HAD FAILED IN FLT. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING EITHER SMOKE OR FIRE IN FLT BEFORE THE ACFT CRASHED. EVIDENCE OF AN ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE WAS FOUND ON THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING. HOWEVER, THE PLT HAD NOT MENTIONED ANY ENCOUNTER WITH LIGHTNING ON THIS FLT. NO EVIDENCE OF METAL FATIGUE WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City FORT LUPTON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80621
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 177
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5333
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
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) 7168
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) 3207
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27259
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 N6231G
NTSB Number DEN84MA247
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier 421C
Aircraft Serial Number 421C0262
Certified Max Gross Weight 7450
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 Dec 13 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2099
Airframe Hours 23799
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRISTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2329
Aircraft Owner City AMARILLO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79105
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AMA
Departure City AMARILLO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1528
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CPR
Destination City CASPER
Destination State WY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --