# NTSB DEN74AD002: Piper PA-30B, N7973Y, Aurora, CO, July 20, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: July 20, 1973
- Place: Aurora, CO · AURORA, CO
- Location: 39.7294° N, 104.8319° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Aurora, CO, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7294&lon=-104.8319&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 7, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 189600
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN74AD002
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN74AD002

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1875  73/7/20  NR.AURORA,COLO        PIPER PA-30B        CR-  2  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 0054                    N7973Y              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  AGE 22, 1600 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            200 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          DENVER,COLO                 LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           STALL: SPIRAL                                            LANDING: INITIAL APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - FOG
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  400
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
          FOG                                                      360
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           11                                                      IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR
        REMARKS- LOST CTL DURING NITE IFR ILS APCH. CRASHED 1.3 MI SHORT OF OUTER MARKER.BOTH SEAT BELTS UNFASTENED
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7973Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7973Y-1973-10-03), registration cancelled 1973-10-03, S/N 30-1072 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30B
- Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19730720024309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730720024309A), Jul 20, 1973: Piper PA30, Aurora, CO, Destroyed. Lost ctl during nite IFR ILS apch. Crashed 1.3 mi short of outer marker. Both seat belts unfastened

## Other investigations on N7973Y (1)

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

- [NTSB DEN70F0158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN70F0158), Nov 27, 1969: Piper PA-30 (N7973Y), Denver, CO, substantial damage

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

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