Boulder Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boulder, Colorado 80301
Wednesday, December 13, 2000 14:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane had sat dormant for almost 8 years, and extensive checks and servicing were performed to prepare it for a ferry flight to a nearby airport where it was scheduled to undergo an annual inspection. FAA issued a ferry permit. The airplane was placed in a heated hangar the night before the flight. When the pilot preflighted the airplane the next morning, 'a little water' was found in the gascolator and 'a tiny amount' was found in the right wing sump. He chose not to have the fuel drained and the airplane serviced with fresh fuel. He later told a local newspaper that he had drained the fuel system and thought he had removed all the water, 'but apparently it was not enough.' He was unsuccessful in trying to start the engine. After it was preheated, the engine started, and he performed 'an extended time warm up and extended pretakeoff run-up.' Shortly after taking off, the engine lost 'complete power.' The pilot enriched the mixture and turned the auxiliary fuel pump first to LOW, then to HIGH. Power returned momentarily, then the engine lost power again. The pilot did not have a chance to switch fuel tanks, but concentrated instead on the forced landing. The airplane 'skimmed the tops of hills, went through a fence, nosed over, and tumbled 2 or 3 times.' Later examination of the engine disclosed the plunger in the fuel manifold was frozen in position, and there was ice in the chamber under the screen.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination (water), and failure of the pilot to have the airplane completely refueled. A factor was unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/13/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BOULDER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80301
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport BOULDER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1V5
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 5288
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1358 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5670
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 623
NTSB Notification Source FAA NM ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 13 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N969RJ
NTSB Number DEN01LA022
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 210C
Aircraft Series Identifier 210C
Aircraft Serial Number 210-58164
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 5708
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES E. MURO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8198 BRIAR RIDGE DR.
Aircraft Owner City CASTLE ROCK
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80104
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1V5
Departure City
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City ENGLEWOOD
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:04AM
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 --