Cessna 414 accident near Aurora, Colorado, November 23, 1983
On November 23, 1983, a Cessna 414, registered N7724N, was destroyed in an accident near Aurora, Colorado (Arapahoe County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1983
- Place
- Aurora, Colorado · Arapahoe County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N7724N · no longer on the register · serial 414-0436
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING WX BRIEFINGS THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF ICING CONDITIONS IN THE DENVER AREA. WHILE APPROACHING THE DENVER AREA THE PLT RADIOED 'CAN YOU GET ME DOWN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT ICY UP HERE.' THE PLT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED & WAS GIVEN A CLOSE TURN ONTO THE OUTER MARKER. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO OVERFLY THE ARPT AT ABOUT 500 FT AGL. THE PLT THEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE MISSED APPROACH INSTRUCTIONS, & 1 MIN LATER REPORTED ...'LOTS OF ICE...' & '...I'M STALLING OUT...' THE PLT REPORTLY DIDNOT LIKE TO FLY APPROACHES TO MINIMUMS & SET THE ALTITUDE ALERTER TO AN ALTITUDE ABOVE MINIMUMS AS A SAFETY MARGIN. THE PLT HAD LOGGED 3.5 HRS ACTUAL & 4.1 HRS SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME, & 3 INSTRUMENT APPROACHES IN THE LAST 6 MOS. THE ACFT'S CG WAS 6 INCHES AFT OF THE AFT CG LIMIT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,414 hours in all; 1,862 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 4,257 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,862 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1983; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34R, 8,500 ft by 101 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.