Fairchild PT-23 accident near Englewood, Colorado, August 16, 1987
On August 16, 1987 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Fairchild PT-23, registered N64038, was destroyed in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- August 16, 1987 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild PT-23
- Registration
- N64038 · no longer on the register · serial 2733AE
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & PAX WERE FLYING TO CHEYENNE, WY TO PUT N64038 ON STATIC DISPLAY. THE PLT STATED THE ENG LOST PWR DRG CLIMB- OUT AT APRX 300' AGL. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE PWR & MANEUVERED FOR AN OFF ARPT LANDING. A WITNESS STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, N64038 LVLD OFF AT APRX 200' & DID NOT APPEAR TO ACCELERATE. HE STATED THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE TO THE GND APRX 1.5 MI FROM THE ARPT. DRG HIS OBSERVATION, HE SAW THE ACFT IN A SHALLOW TURN FOR ABOUT 90 DEG, THEN SAW THE RGT WING MAKE AN ABRUPT DIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STRUCK THE BANK OF A ROAD CUT IN A RGT WING LOW, NOSE HI ATTITUDE & WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. THE DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7767'.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 258 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 152 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,559 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1987; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental R-670-16 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Confederate Air Force
The flight
- Departed from: APA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: CHY Cheyenne WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,903 ft by 62 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from APA, 2 miles away
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.