# NTSB DEN84LA014: Piper PA-28-180, N9317J, Englewood, CO, October 24, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 24, 1983, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place: Englewood, CO
- Location: 39.4569° N, 104.8181° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from CENTENNIAL (APA), within about 2 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4569&lon=-104.8181&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16284
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN84LA014
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16284/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN84LA014

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, approach
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- Forced landing, landing
- On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll
  - object - fence (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING ARRIVAL, HE WAS RECEIVING VECTORS FOR AN ILS WHEN HE ENTERED A DESCENT FROM 9000 TO 8500 FT MSL. HE ENTERED CLOUDS DURING THE DESCENT & APPLIED CARBURETOR (CARB) HEAT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ENTERING THE CLOUDS. HE SAID THAT THE ACFT REMAINED IN WX FOR ABOUT 15 MIN DURING THE RADAR VECTORS. DURING THAT TIME, A SMALL AMOUNT OF ICE FORMED ON THE WINGS & LOOKED LIKE FROST. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 8000 FT, WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS DUE TO CARB ICE & LOSS OF POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD WHERE THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE & CARB HEAT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED & FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY. NO PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9317J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9317J-1994-05-03), registration cancelled 1994-05-03, S/N 283426 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-3426
- Airframe hours: 4617
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Western State Flyers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 21, 1983, 59 hours before
- Departed: AXS, ALTUS, OK
- Destination: APA, ENGLEWOOD, CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: APA, Arapahoe

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 398 total, 21 in this make and model, 253 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 20° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Observed at: 2, 19 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 19831024057129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831024057129A), Oct 24, 1983: Piper PA28180, Englewood, CO, Substantial damage. Crash occurred during emergency landing after engine quit from carburetor ice.

## Other investigations on N9317J (2)

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 FTW94LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94LA005), Oct 5, 1993: Piper PA-28-180C (N9317J), Albuquerque, NM, destroyed. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS A FACTOR.
- [NTSB FTW83LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW83LA057), Dec 12, 1982: Piper PA-28-180 (N9317J), Grandfield, OK, no damage, 1 fatal

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.
