Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Broomfield, Colorado 80249
Friday, March 15, 2013 14:08 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After takeoff from a 9,000-foot runway, the pilot retracted the landing gear. Shortly thereafter, the airspeed dropped, followed by an excessive descent rate. The pilot lowered the landing gear and landed the airplane on the runway before it departed the runway and the nose gear collapsed. The pilot attributed the excessive descent rate to wind shear. The weather information obtained by the pilot before the flight indicated gusting, variable, and turbulent wind conditions at a high density altitude, so the pilot should have been aware that conditions were favorable for wind shear. Further, the pilot should have applied a wind/gust correction factor to the takeoff speed to maintain a safe airspeed margin and to maintain airplane climb performance. The airplaneā€™s climb performance was further degraded by the effects of density altitude and the overweight condition of the airplane due to the pilot's erroneous weight and balance calculations.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and decision to take off at a high density altitude and in gusting wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/2013
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1408
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Broomfield
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80249
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395432N
Event Location Longitude 1050702W
Event Location Airport Rocky Mountain Metropolitan
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BJC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5673
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.94
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32667
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 8 2013 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record galm
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4276K
NTSB Number CEN13LA199
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 RYAN
Aircraft Model NAVION
Aircraft Series Identifier UNDESIGNAT
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-1276
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 15 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4800.1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Pilot
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Gilbert
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Pilot
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Gilbert
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
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 --
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 DEN
Departure City Denver
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1308
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABQ
Destination City Albuquerque
Destination State NM
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 22 2013 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29R
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --