Tri-County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erie, Colorado 80516
Sunday, August 7, 1983 13:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF IN VMC WX CONDITIONS WITH AN ARPT ELEVATION OF 5145 FT MSL AND TEMPERTAURE 86 DEGREES F. DENSITY ALT WAS 7468 FT. IN THE PILOTS OPERATING HANDBOOK THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE VS DENSITY ALT CHART GOES TO AMAX ALT OF 7000 FT. A NOTE SAYS 'EXTRAPOLATION OF THE CHART ABOVE 7000 FT DENSITY ALT IS INVALID'. AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR STATED THAT A TAKEOFF SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED IF THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE CANNOT BE DETERMINED BY THE CHARTS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN THE THE MIXTURE WAS LEANED USING THE PILOTS TECHNIQUE. IT WAS FOUND THAT 100 MORE RPM WAS OBTAINED WHEN THE MIXTURE WAS SET WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL LEANED AN ADDITIONAL 1/2 INCH. THE PLT HAD USED RWY 15 WHICH IS 5400 FT LONG FOR TAKEOFF. TAKEOFF ROLL WAS LONGER THAN USUAL & THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB ABOVE 200 FT. THE TERRAIN WAS RISING TO THE SOUTH SO THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE ARPT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ERIE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80516
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI-COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 48V
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 150
Airport Elevation 5145
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1247 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 192
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5654
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7468
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 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1677
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22011
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 N2893T
NTSB Number DEN83LA184
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7225273
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Dec 29 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4046
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD J. DOYLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 404 HY VU DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City EVERGREEN
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80439
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 1258
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BJC
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
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 15
Runway Length 5400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --