# Accident 19990315002489A: Cessna 320D, Denver, CO, March 15, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 15, 1999, 21:46 local time
- Place: Denver, CO
- Airport: Jeffco Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: DHFA
- Location: 39.9398° N, 105.0592° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9398&lon=-105.0592&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4127T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4127T-2001-10-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 320D (registry code 2074512, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 320D
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520BB
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,537 total, 234 in this make and model, 272 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA054) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990315002489A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT, SHE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTORS FROM THE AUXILIARY TANKS TO THE MAIN TANKS ON BOTH ENGINES. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, TEH LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE LEFT ENGINE. WHEN ON A TWO MILE FINAL TO RUNWAY 29R, THE LEFT ENIGNE LOST POWER AGAIN. UPON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING. (.4) THE AIRPLANE WAS NORTH OF THE AIRPORT AT 8,000 FEET INBOUND FOR LANDING WHEN SHE TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS AND SWITCHED FROM THE AUXILIARY TO THE MAIN TANKS FOLLOWING A MOMENTARY SURGE. MINUTES LATER, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AGAIN. SHE WAS ABLE TO SUBSTANTIALLY RESTORE POWER TO THE LEFT ENGINE. DURING APPROACH TO LANDING, THE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AGAIN, FOLLOWED BY A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. AS SHE FLARED FOR LANDING, THE A/C VEERED TO THE ELFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. BASED ON THE PILOT'S FUEL CALCULATIONS, THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE HAD 53.2 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING WHEN SHE LANDED. THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, FUEL                                   WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK; HOWEVER, THE LEFT TANK WAS COMPROMISED AND THE PRESENCE OF FUEL COULD NOT BE VERIFIED. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE LEFT ENGINE WAS RUN IN A TEST CELL. THE ENGINE OPERATED UP TO THE MAXIMUM AVAILABLE POWER, AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE OBSERVED. THE TURBOCHARGER WAS ALSO EXAMINED, AND NO ABNORMALITIES WERE FOUND.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN99LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA054), Mar 16, 1999: Cessna 320D (N4127T), Broomfield, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of power on the left engine for undetermined reasons. A factor was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing flare/touchdown.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.