Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
Saturday, July 24, 2004 12:07 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot obtained a "standard weather briefing," filed an instrument flight rules flight plan, and took off. Four minutes later, after several routine radio communications, the controller issued the pilot a radar vector. He did not acknowledge. The controller repeated the vector. There was a squelch break and in the background, a noise and tone could be heard. The pilot reported, "We have got some sort of malfunction going on here." Witnesses reported hearing an engine "sputtering" and losing power. The airplane emerged from a low overcast in a flat counterclockwise spin. The airplane impacted a street and driveway in a residential subdivision. On-scene investigation disclosed the landing gear and flaps were retracted. Both elevators were deflected up and jammed by impact. Subsequent examination of the airplane revealed the cockpit fuel selector handles were in the LEFT TANK-LEFT ENGINE/RIGHT TANK-RIGHT ENGINE positions. The left and right fuel selector valves, located in the wheel wells, were OFF and ON, respectively. Analysis of the ATC communications tape revealed two engines operating until the pilot reported the "malfunction," then which only one engine sound could be heard. A steady 1,000-hertz tone, similar to an aural stall warning system, was also heard. Both engines, turbochargers, and propellers were later disassembled and examined. No anomalies were noted. Neither propeller was feathered. On the day before the accident, the pilot had undergone recurrent ground and flight training, a flight review, and an instrument proficiency check in the airplane. Flight time totaled 5.3 hours.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/spin. Clouds and the pilot's diverted attention were contributing factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1207
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Fort Collins
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80525
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403159N
Event Location Longitude 1050115W
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 169
Weather Observation Facility ID FNL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5016
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.45
Density Altitude (feet) 5587
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18226
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N69CL
NTSB Number DEN04FA109
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 58P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number TJ-444
Certified Max Gross Weight 6200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 20 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2101
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Leo J. Schuster
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Loveland
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80538
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Airport Code FNL
Departure City Loveland
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OMA
Destination City Omaha
Destination State NE
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb - to cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 21 2005 11:14AM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --