DEN00LA108

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-44-180T · Englewood, CO · June 12, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 11, 2000, 22:04 local (Jun 12, 2000, 04:04 UTC)
Place
Englewood, CO
Injuries
3 uninjured
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N838PCPiper PA-44-180TN4741NCessna 182Q
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report November 25, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
49412

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

Failure of the instructor pilot-in-command and the pilot receiving instruction to maintain directional control. Factors were the pilot receiving instruction allowing the airplane to approach low and slow, and failure of the instructor to maintain adequate supervision of the flight.

Failure of the instructor pilot-in-command and the pilot receiving instruction to maintain directional control. Factors were the pilot receiving instruction allowing the airplane to approach low and slow, and failure of the instructor to maintain adequate supervision of the flight.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Airspeed - lowDual studentFactor
Altitude - lowDual studentFactor
Directional control - not maintainedFlightcrewCause
Supervision - inadequatePilot in command(cfi)Factor
Object - aircraft moving on ground
On ground/water collision with objectTaxi - from landing
Object - other
Airspeed - lowPilot of other aircraftFactor
Altitude - lowPilot of other aircraftFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot of other aircraftCause
Supervision - inadequatePilot of other aircraftFactor

Analysis

The private pilot receiving instruction aboard N838PC, a Piper PA-44-180T, were said the approach to runway 17R was 'slightly low and slightly slow.' The pilot of N4741N, a Cessna 182Q, had just landed and was taxiing north, parallel to the runway. The instructor aboard the Piper reduced power on the left engine to idle to simulate a single engine approach. He said the student 'was making too many corrections,' so he added power. The airplane veered right, and the pilots overcorrected. The airplane veered to the left and struck the taxiing Cessna. The Piper was landed in the grass median between the two parallel runways. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

The private pilot receiving instruction aboard N838PC, a Piper PA-44-180T, were said the approach to runway 17R was 'slightly low and slightly slow.' The pilot of N4741N, a Cessna 182Q, had just landed and was taxiing north, parallel to the runway. The instructor aboard the Piper reduced power on the left engine to idle to simulate a single engine approach. He said the student 'was making too many corrections,' so he added power. The airplane veered right, and the pilots overcorrected. The airplane veered to the left and struck the taxiing Cessna. The Piper was landed in the grass median between the two parallel runways. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

Factual narrative

See narrative for DEN00-L-A108A.

On June 11, 2000, at 2204 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180T, N838PC, operated by Aspen Flying Club, Inc., received minor damage when it collided with a Cessna 182Q, N4741N, operated by its owner, at Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The Cessna 182Q was substantially damaged. The PA-44-180T was attempting to make a go-around, and the Cessna 182Q was taxiing from landing. There were no injuries to the commercial certificated flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction aboard the PA-44-180T, nor were there any injuries to the private pilot, the sole occupant, aboard the Cessna 182Q. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plans had been filed. Both airplanes were being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilots. The PA-44-180T was on an instructional flight; the Cessna 182Q was on a personal flight. Both flights originated at Centennial Airport.

According to the accident report submitted by the flight instructor pilot-in-command of the Piper PA-44-180T, they were making a simulated single engine approach to runway 17R. His student "was making too many corrections," so he increased power to the idling engine. The airplane veered right, and he told the student to add power and lower the nose. As power was added, the airplane veered to the left and struck the taxiing Cessna 182Q. The two pilots landed the PA-44-180T in the grass median between the two parallel runways.

According to the accident report submitted by the pilot receiving instruction, the simulated failure was to the left engine. The approach was "slightly low and slightly slow." Over the runway threshold, the instructor increased power on the left engine to 20 inches of manifold pressure. The airplane veered sharply to the right "and we over corrected to the left, taking us into the grass." Full power was applied for a go-around. As they flew over the median, they noticed an airplane on taxiway Bravo and tried to avoid a collision. The Piper PA-44-180T struck the outboard portion of the Cessna 182's left wing.

The accident report submitted by the pilot of the Cessna 182Q corroborated the reports submitted by the pilots of the Piper PA-44-180T. The pilot did add an explanatory diagram.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N838PC
Reported as
Piper PA-44-180T
Category
Airplane
Serial number
44-8107056
Airframe hours
2,580
Engine
Lycoming TO-360-E1A6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Aspen Flying Club
Registered owner
Richard J. Handelman
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · May 24, 2000 · 100 hours before
Departed
APA
Airport
APA · Centennial, runway 17R, 7,004 × 77 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Registration
N4741N
Reported as
Cessna 182Q
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18267330
Airframe hours
1,817
Engine
Continental O-470-U, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Stan B. New
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · January 13, 2000 · 45 hours before
Departed
APA
Airport
APA · Centennial

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot, aircraft N838PC
Age
33
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Right
Flight hours
1,275 total · 20 in this make and model · 1,190 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot, aircraft N4741N
Age
51
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
323 total · 304 in this make and model · 260 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
180° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 37 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
APA

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.