Columbine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aurora, Colorado 80010
Saturday, July 23, 1983 8:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ARPT HAD ONE ASPHALT RWY THAT WAS CLOSED & ANOTHER DIRT RWY THAT WAS MUDDY. THEREFORE, THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF ON THE PARKING RAMP WHICH WAS ORIENTED IN A NORTH/SOUTH DIRECTION & WAS 1700 FT LONG. THE PLT DID NOT CONSULT THE TAKEOFF CHARTS IN HIS OPERATING HANDBOOK. HE CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT ROOM TO TAKEOFF SINCE THE ACFT NORMALLY USED ONLY 1500 FT AT HIS HOME ARPT IN OBERLIN, KS. HOWEVER, FOR TAKEOFF AT AURORA, CO, THE DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 7300 FT. ALSO, THE PLT USED SOFT FIELD PROCEDURES FOR TAKEOFF. SPECIFICALLY, BACK PRESSURE WAS USEDON THE CONTROL WHEEL FOR ALL OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE NOSEWHEEL WAS LIFTED OFF EARLY & THE PLT TOOK OFF AT 60 KTS, THEN LOWERED THE NOSE TO STAY IN GROUND EFFECT. BEYOND THE END OF THE RAMP, THE ACFT HIT UNEVEN, RISING TERRAIN IN A WHEAT FIELD. FOR A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF ON HARD SURFACE, NOSE-UP ELEVATOR INPUT IN NOT NORMALLY USED UNTIL ROTATION SPEED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City AURORA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80010
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COLUMBINE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O1V
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 180
Airport Elevation 5680
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 900 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5333
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1218
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21514
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 N43CA
NTSB Number DEN83LA173
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0270
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 14 1981 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 199
Airframe Hours 1579
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRIST FOR ALL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 66
Aircraft Owner City OBERLIN
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67749
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code K80
Destination City OBERLIN
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --