Beech D17S accident near Englewood, Colorado, September 14, 1990
On September 14, 1990 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Beech D17S, registered N16M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE VEHICLE DRIVER, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO ASSURE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SUNGLARE AND THE PILOT'S RESTRICTED VIEW FROM THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS LACK OF VISUAL CUES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1990 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D17S · all D17Ss on the register
- Registration
- N16M · registry record · serial 6765
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BEECH D17 STAGGERWING HAD BEEN ON STATIC DISPLAY DRG A PRE-AIRSHOW ACTIVITY. WHEN THE PLT PREPARED TO DEP, TWR CLRD HIM TO TAXI TO RWY 35R & WARNED, 'CAUTION VEHICLES & PERSONNEL ON THE RAMP.' A WING WALKER ESCORTED THE ACFT OUT OF THE PARKING AREA, THEN WALKED AWAY. THE PLT TURNED LEFT & BGN TAXIING TWD THE SUN AT 'WALKING SPEED' IN AN S-TURN FASHION. THE TWR CTLR TOLD A KING AIR PLT TO HOLD FOR THE D17, THEN HIS ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO OTR ARPT OPNS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE D17'S RGT WING HIT A FIRE TRUCK THAT HAD BEEN STOPPED ON THE TWY; THIS RESULTED IN THE ACFT SWERVING TO THE RGT & THE PROP HITTING THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK DRIVER HAD STOPPED ON THE TWY TO ALLOW A FIREMAN TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PARKED U.S. NAVY'S BLUE ANGELS. WHEN HE LOOKED IN HIS REARVIEW MIRROR, HE SAW THE D17, BUT NOT IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE TWR SUPVR SAID THE ACDNT OCCURRED IN A 'NON-MOVEMENT AREA' & WAS NOT SUBJECT TO GND CTL AS PER LTR OF AGREEMENT BTN THE CTL TWR & THE ARPT AUTHORITY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 663 hours in all; 154 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 467 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BJC Broomfield CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35R, 10,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:46 pm from APA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N16M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.