- Date
- May 1, 1991, 06:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- Englewood, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N18DFCessna 421
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19910501013889A
- Case key
- 18086
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
Power loss on both engines as a result of exhaust system failure.
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.
Analysis
During initial climb after takeoff from a high altitude airport and at a gross weight 70 pounds below maximum, both engine lost input to their turbochargers due to exhaust system failure. At the reduced power available, the pilot was unable to return to the airport and conducted an emergency landing in a field. The terrain was rolling, soft, and the landing gear collapsed during landing roll. The engine nacelles and underside of the aircraft were damaged as the aircraft slid during the final phase of deceleration.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18DF
- Reported as
- Cessna 421
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421-126
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-5200, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Executive Airmotive
- Registered owner
- Executive Airmotive
- Destination
- K61 · Belott, KS
- 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 9,600 total · 300 in this make and model · 6,200 as pilot in command · 220 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- APA, 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.