# NTSB DEN80FA009: Cessna 500, N555AJ, Castle Rock, CO, November 19, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: November 19, 1979
- Place: Castle Rock, CO · CASTLE ROCK, CO
- Location: 39.3722° N, 104.8561° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Castle Rock, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3722&lon=-104.8561&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report February 19, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 132866
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN80FA009
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN80FA009

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4010  79/11/19   CASTLE ROCK,CO      CESSNA 500          CR-  1  1  0  COMMERCIAL                AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 2015                    N555AJ              PX-  1  0  0  AIR TAXI-CARGO            29, 1751 TOTAL HOURS, 61
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ALBUQUERQUE,NM              CASTLE ROCK,CO
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: INITIAL APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IFR OPERATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               500
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          BLOWING SNOW                                              34
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
           30                                                       6
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      IFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- PLT UPGRADED TO L SEAT 6DAYS PRIOR.CO-PLT CERTIFIED 2DAYS PRIOR.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N555AJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N555AJ-2013-09-30), registration cancelled 2013-09-30, S/N 500-0007, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 500
- Registry model: [Cessna 500](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-500) (registry code 2076602) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-1 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-jt15d-1-series) (registry code 52060, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: turbo jet
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Arapahoe County

## 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 19791119041989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791119041989A), Nov 19, 1979: Cessna 500CESSNA, Castle Rock, CO, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Struck ground in hilly terrain during initial ILS approach. Cause undetermined. Exploded and burned on impact.

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.

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