# NTSB DEN04LA148: Smith, Ted Aerostar 601P, N200FF, Broomfield, CO, September 26, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 26, 2004, 11:37 local (17:37 UTC) - Place: Broomfield, CO - Coordinates: 39.908889, -105.117225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9089&lon=-105.1172&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60225 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA148 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60225/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA148 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision to accept a short traffic pattern and the improper flare resulting in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot said he was asked by the tower to make a short approach. He was then asked to make his right base turn, such that he had to continue his turn to roll out on final over the runway. The pilot said he leveled the wings and had a hard landing. The pilot said that the right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid off the left side of the runway. An examination of the airplane showed the left main landing gear strut was broken and pushed upward through the top of the left wing engine nacelle. The right wing was broken upward at the wing root. Both propellers' blades showed torsional bending and chordwise scratches. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No other anomalies were found. ## Factual narrative On September 26, 2004, at 1137 mountain daylight time, a Ted Smith Aerostar 601P, N200FF, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Denver-Jefferson County Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted on a visual flight rules flight plan under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane reported no injuries. The local flight originated at 1050. The pilot said he was asked by the BJC tower to make a short approach. He was then asked to make his right base turn, such that he had to continue his turn to roll out on final over the runway. The pilot said he leveled the wings and had a hard landing. The pilot said that the right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid off the left side of runway 29R. An examination of the airplane showed the left main landing gear strut was broken and pushed upward through the top of the left wing engine nacelle. The right wing was broken upward at the wing root. Both propellers' blades showed torsional bending and chordwise scratches. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No other anomalies were found. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N200FF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N200FF-2022-12-31), registration cancelled 2022-12-31, S/N 61P-0491-200 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Smith, Ted Aerostar 601P - Registry model: [Smith AEROSTAR 601P](https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-aerostar-601p) (registry code 8360608) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 61P-0941-200 - Airframe hours: 2038 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 290 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 290 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael D. Plante - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2004, 6 hours before - Departed: BJC, Broomfield, CO - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: BJC, Jefferson County Airport, runway 29R, 9,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 20, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 1,605 total, 358 in this make and model, 1,448 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 5 knots - Visibility: 60 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: BJC, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040926024799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040926024799A), Sep 26, 2004: Piper PA60601P, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) On September 26, 2004, at approximately 1135 MDT, N200FF, a smith Aerostar model 601P, experienced a hard landing and subsequently departed the left side… 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. --- 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.