Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Junction, Colorado 81504
Thursday, September 1, 1983 18:04 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CFI STATED THAT WHILE PRACTICING EMERGENCY LANDINGS, SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING INTO THE COCKPIT. SHE ALSO NOTICED A LOT OF HEAT NEAR HER LEGS. THINKING THAT THERE MIGHT BE A FIRE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIREWALL, THE CFI DECIDED TO LAND IN A CORN FIELD. THE CORN WAS 12 FT TALL & THE ACFT NOSED OVER ON ITS BACK. THE ONLY EVIDENCE OF SMOKE, HEAT OR FIRE WAS THAT THE WIRE LEAD FROM THE ELECTRICAL BUS BAR TO A RADIO WAS BURNED & MELTED AT THE END, AS WAS THE JUMPER WIRE BETWEEN THE BUS BARS. A SHOPOWNER AT THE ARPT STATED THAT THE JUMPER WIRE WAS UNDERSIZED & BECAME OVERLOADED CAUSING THE INSULATION TO BURN. THE CABIN HEATER VALVE WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE ON POSITION WHICH WOULD ALLOW ENGINE HEAT TO ENTER THE COCKPIT NEAR THE FLOOR LEVEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1804
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GRAND JUNCTION
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81504
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1807 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1979
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22331
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8739T
NTSB Number DEN83LA206
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 52639
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 May 4 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 243
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HERRMANN, MONDIS L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3938 G 210 ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PALISADE
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81526
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LARRY MOORE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3114 D. ROAD
Operator City GRAND JUNCTION
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81501
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 10:31AM
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 --