Piper PA-44-180T accident near Englewood, Colorado, May 30, 2000
On May 30, 2000 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180T, registered N8303P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
In-flight planning and decision by the flight instructor by allowing the student to fly into a hazardous situation. Factors were the flight instructor delaying extending the landing gear and delaying a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2000 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180T · all PA-44-180Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8303P · registry record · serial 44-8107031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, while practicing an engine out approach to land, the student pilot failed to lower the landing gear. The tower asked the pilot to 'verify gear down' and the flight instructor initiated a go-around on short final. The aircraft settled and landed with the landing gear retracted on the grass beside the runway causing damage to the propellers and underside of the aircraft hull. The flight instructor said the engines failed to respond; however, an examination of the engines by an FAA airworthiness inspector produced no evidence of preimpact malfunction or failure.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 629 hours in all; 203 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 577 as pilot in command; 301 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,848 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 3, 2000; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,925 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aspen Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: APA at 8:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 7,003 ft by 77 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from APA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.