Calhan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Calhan, Colorado
Thursday, July 1, 1982 12:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM AN AIRPORT WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 9500 FT. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FT AGL AND THEN STOPPED CLIMBING. THE PILOT INITIATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDED LEANING THE MIXTURE AND APPLYING CARBURETOR HEAT MOMENTARILY, BUT THESE DID NOT HELP. WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THE PLANE WAS GOING TO SETTLE INTO RISING TERRAIN, A SLIGHT TURN WAS MADE TO PICK THE MOST FAVORABLE PLACE TO TOUCH DOWN. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, THE MAIN GEAR WAS DAMAGED AND THE PLANE WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND NOSED OVER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLANE WAS LOADED ALMOST TO ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT. AN INSPECTION AND RUN-UP OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CALHAN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport CALHAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5V4
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 83
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1460
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1370B
NTSB Number DEN82DA124
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 LUSCOMBE
Aircraft Model 8F
Aircraft Series Identifier 8F
Aircraft Serial Number 5997
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 3081
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD DEMARS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 147 RACQUETTE DR.
Aircraft Owner City FORT COLLINS
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEORGE A. CATALANO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2405 GRANDVIEW PL.
Operator City CASPER
Operator State WY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 82604
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 5V4
Departure City CALHAN
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3V5
Destination City FORT COLLINS
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --