Cessna 414 accident near Broomfield, Colorado, May 27, 1996
On May 27, 1996 at about 5:56 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N414AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jefferson County airport). It was a personal 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
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate visual lookout by allowing his attention to be diverted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1996 · about 5:56 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jefferson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N414AW · registry record · serial 0520
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing to the hangar after landing, the pilot's attention was diverted when he reached behind his seat to retrieve a checklist. Subsequently, the airplane collided with two hangars.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 725 hours in all; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,852 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 21, 1996; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: BJC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from BJC
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.