- Date
- April 8, 1994, 13:17 local (19:17 UTC)
- Place
- Englewood, CO
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N881GKPiper PA-32RT-300T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940408000019A
- Case key
- 19029
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
A loss of power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
The flight took off at 1210 with 90 gals of fuel onboard. As the pilots were practicing takeoffs and landings, the engine lost power. The CFI assumed control and attempted to land in an area west of the runway, but was unable to clear a fence. The airplane struck the fence, then collided with terrain. The engine and accessories were later functionally checked and tested; no discrepancies were found.
Factual narrative
On April 8, 1994, at 1317 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, N881GK, was destroyed during a forced landing near Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and commercial pilot receiving instruction sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight.
The following is based on the pilot/operator report. The airplane had 90 gallons of fuel onboard prior to its 1210 departure. After performing various maneuvers in the practice area, the pilots returned to the airport for takeoffs and landings. The second pilot said that the engine was not producing sufficient power while on the crosswind leg. The CFI noted the throttle was fully open but the engine was producing only 2400 RPM and 30 inches of manifold pressure. He assumed control of the airplane while the pilot receiving instruction made sure the fuel pump was on, switched to the left tank, and advised the tower of their predicament. The CFI attempted to land west of the runway but the airplane struck a fence and impacted terrain in a field about 1,000 feet north of the departure end of runway 35L.
The engine and accessories were later functionally checked and tested. No discrepancies were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N881GK
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300T (PA-32RT-30)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7887175
- Airframe hours
- 2,397
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- P.C. Flyers, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Burman, John L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 19, 1994 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- APA
- Destination
- APA · CO
- 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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,233 total · 6 in this make and model · 4,932 as pilot in command · 101 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- APA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.