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20041210033119A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Mtsbsi MU-2B-60 · Denver, CO · December 10, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 10, 2004 · 19:40 local
Place
Denver, CO
Airport
Centennial Airport
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
VOXA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N538EA
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN05FA034
Reported as
Mtsbsi MU2B60
Reported engine
Garrett TPE331*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
3,000 total325 in this make and model180 in the last 90 days
N538EARegistration cancelled Dec 1, 2007 · Mitsubishi MU-2B-60S/N 1538 S.A. · Built 1981Airframe modelMitsubishi MU-2B-60Engine modelAiResearch TPE331 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) After departure on runway 35R, the pilot reported a problem to the tower and said he needed to return for landing. He then informed the tower he had a problem with an engine, was shutting it down and declaring an emergency. The aircraft was instructed to turn right but this was changed when the tower noticed he was already in a left turn so was told to continue left to a heading of 180. He was vectored on the west side of the airport and given clearance to land on 35R. After turning on a base leg, the tower controller noticed the pilot had flown through the final approach course for 35R and offered runway 28 as an alternative, stating the winds were 280/10. The aircraft did not respond to this or subsequent calls made from the tower. It was determined the aircraft struck the ground in a right 160 degree bank, 60 degrees nose down and at an airspeed of 90K. The rudder trim indicator showed a setting of 22 degrees to the right, FAR exceeding what would be normal for single engine operations.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER DEPARTURE ON RUNWAY 35R, THE PILOT REPORTED A PROBLEM TO THE TOWER AND SAID HE NEEDED TO RETURN FOR LANDING. HE THEN INFORMED THE TOWER HE HAD A PROBLEM WITH AN ENGINE, WAS SHUTTING IT DOWN AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN RIGHT BUT THIS WAS CHANGED WHEN THE TOWER NOTICED HE WAS ALREADY IN A LEFT TURN SO WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE LEFT TO A HEADING OF 180. HE WAS VECTORED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT AND GIVEN CLEARANCE TO LAND ON 35R. AFTER TURNING ON A BASE LEG, THE TOWER CONTROLLER NOTICED THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE FOR 35R AND OFFERED RUNWAY 28 AS AN ALTERNATIVE, STATING THE WINDS WERE 280/10. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND TO THIS OR SUBSEQUENT CALLS MADE FROM THE TOWER. IT WAS DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A RIGHT 160 DEGREE BANK, 60 DEGREES NOSE DOWN AND AT AN AIRSPEED OF 90K. THE RUDDER TRIM INDICATOR SHOWED A SETTING OF 22 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT, FAR EXCEEDING WHAT WOULD BE NORMAL FOR SINGLE ENGINE OPERATIONS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN05FA034Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportEnglewood, COthe pilot's failure to maintain minimum controllable airspeed during the night visual approach resulting in a loss of control and uncontrolled descent into terrain. A contributing factor was the precautionary shutdown of the left engine for undetermined…Dec 11, 2004 · Destroyed

Other reports on N538EA · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19891206059279IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Erie, PALeft engine vibrating. Shut down and landed. Found propeller blade had broken off.Dec 6, 1989 · Minor damage