Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Englewood, Colorado 80110
Thursday, July 14, 2005 7:30 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was directed by tower to cross taxiway "A" straight onto the ramp where the pilot had a permanent tie-down spot. Because there was a jet being moved at the west-most portion of the open area preceding the ramp, the pilot chose to taxi north through east portion of the open area that was next to the where his tie-down spot was. The pilot said he was taxiing at a normal "fast walking pace" with engine power set at 1,000 rpm. As he approached the north side of the open area, the pilot said he heard a loud banging noise and felt the airplane pitch over on its nose. The pilot said the tires had contacted a helicopter dolly, "causing a sudden stop and pitch-over." The airplane's impact with the dolly caused substantial damage to the bottom fuselage structure and the landing gear strut attach points. The helicopter dolly was a 10-by-10 foot square, 1 foot high, wooden deck. The platform had a metal frame with castered wheels, foot pads, and a "Y-shaped" tow bar. The deck was a natural wood color. The frame around the deck was painted white. The dolly was located at the northwest corner of the TAC Air ramp abeam the A3 taxiway, and approximately 18 feet south of the west to east running yellow taxi stripe that leads from taxiway "A" to the ramp. The pilot said that while taxiing, he was actively scanning for conflicts and noting all aircraft and vehicles in the vicinity. He said never saw the dolly until the airplane struck it. The pilot said about his airplane, "... it has decent forward visibility when in the three-point configuration and normally does not require weaving to be able to see objects off the nose. At only one foot high, completely flat, and neutral in color, the object (helicopter dolly) is quite difficult to spot. The dolly was placed in a common movement area." The area through which the pilot taxied was considered a non-movement area. According to the 2005 Aeronautical Information Manual, non-movement areas are taxiways and apron (ramp) areas not under control of air traffic. Aircraft clearance from other aircraft or objects while taxiing in these areas is the responsiblity of the pilot. FAA inspectors observed a faded "NO TAXI" marking on the non-movement area approximately 30 feet south of the helicopter dolly. The marking was located such that the pilot would have taxied over it before striking the helicopter dolly.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot not maintaining clearance from the portable helipad during taxi after landing resulting in the airplane colliding with it. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's selection of a taxi route through a non-movement area, his inability to see the portable helipad, and the helipad.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/14/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 730 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Englewood |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80110 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 393413N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1045058W |
| Event Location Airport | Centennial Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | APA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5883 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | APA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5883 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 13000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.18 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18940 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Ctr |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 14 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 31 2006 7:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Denver, Colorado FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5043N |
| NTSB Number | DEN05LA118 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bellanca |
| Aircraft Model | 8GCBC |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 302-79 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2150 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ralph Andrew Young |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 1642 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Boulder |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80306 |
| 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 | 1V5 |
| Departure City | Boulder |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 700 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | APA |
| Destination City | Englewood |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - to takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 31 2005 11:31AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |