Piper PA-23-160 accident near Franktown, CO
On December 22, 1993, a Piper PA-23-160 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Franktown, CO. 4 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 22, 1993
- Place
- Franktown, CO
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 4 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.380°N, 104.749°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X13850
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 21, 1993, at 2118 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-23-160, N4382P, conducted a forced landing into a heavily wooded area 3 miles east of Franktown, Colorado. The two pilots and two passengers received serious injuries and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed for this personal flight from Asheville, North Carolina, to Englewood, Colorado. The flight made a fuel stop at Salina, Kansas, prior to the leg which ended with the accident, and picked up an IFR clearance when approaching the Englewood area. The pilot contacted Denver Approach Control at 2103 and was assigned an altitude of 9,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL). They were given ATIS information lima, (see meteorological portion of this document), and vectors for the ILS (instrument landing system) approach to runway 35 at Centennial Airport. At 2108, a descent to 8,000 feet was given by approach control, and at 2115, the pilot informed approach control they were picking up some ice. At 2116, the pilot informed approach control they were losing an engine and losing altitude. The last communications with the aircraft occurred at 2117. At that time, the pilot was reporting a rough running engine and an altitude of 7,000 feet with intermittent ground contact. (See attached communications transcripts and controller statements). After radar and communications were lost, an ELT (emergency locator transmitter) was picked up by Denver Center. The crew had attempted a forced landing and the aircraft collided with
Probable cause
WAS THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS AND DELAYED APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT, RESULTING IN STRUCTURAL AND INDUCTION ICING. FACTORS WERE THE ICING CONDITIONS AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
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Browse: Colorado · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
