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DEN83FA039

1982-12-26 · LEADVILLE, Colorado, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LXV

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

WHEN A WITNESS ARRIVED AT THE ARPT, THE ACFT WAS AT THE FUEL PUMPS & THE PLT HAD THE PREHEATER ATTACHED. THE WITNESS RPRTD THERE WAS FROST ON THE ACFT & THE PLT BRUSHED THE LOOSE FROST OFF WITH HIS HANDS. THE PLT ASKED FOR A WINDOW SCRAPER, WHICH WAS PROVIDED, BUT THE WITNESS DID NOT KNOW WHAT HE DID WITH IT. AFT REFUELING, THE PLT STARTED THE ENG & REMAINED ON THE RAMP A SHORT TIME BFR TAXIING. A TKOF WAS INITIATED FROM THE 5300 FT RWY IN CALM WND CONDS. THE ELEV & TEMP WERE 9927 FT MSL & 2 DEG F. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT ROLLED FOR MORE THAN 3/4 OF THE RWY LENGTH BEFORE BCMG AIRBORNE. THE WITNESS RPRTD THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT DID NOT GAIN ALTITUDE, BUT REMAINED LOW, BGN A LFT TURN, THEN WENT DOWN.ANOTHER WITNESS OBSVD THE ACFT FALL FROM A LOW ALT & CRASH IN A LFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. A PAX RPRTD THE PLANE SEEMED TO SLOW DWN & LOSE ALT AFT TKOF, AS IF IT WAS TOO HVY. HOWEVER, DISREGARDING ANY FROST/ICE, THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED 88 LBS BLO THE MAX WT LMT. NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL FAILURE WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENG. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1982_DEN83FA039.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.