Boeing DHC-6-300 accident near Denver, Colorado, June 12, 1991
On June 12, 1991 at about 11:00 am local time, a Boeing DHC-6-300, registered N242CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Stapleton International airport). It was a business 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, I.E., NOT FOLLOWING THE CHECK LIST AND THE NORMAL BRAKE SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE AS A RESULT OF NO HYDRAULIC SYSTEM PRESSURE (HYDRAULIC SYSTEM CIRCUIT BREAKER NOT 'IN').
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1991 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Stapleton International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing DHC-6-300
- Registration
- N242CA · registry record · serial 342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT DAWN, THE PILOT AND A MECHANIC WENT OUT TO PREFLIGHT THE AIRCRAT AND THEN FLY IT ON A LOCAL MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS NOT 'IN' WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENGINES WERE STARTED. AS THE RIGHT ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO INCREASE, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD. THE PILOT APPLIED THE BRAKES ONLY TO DISCOVER THERE WAS NO HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE LINES. BEFORE CORRECTIVE ACTION COULD BE TAKEN, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A PARKED AIRCRAFT.
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: 5,521 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 5,384 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Air, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N242CA 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.