# Accident 20041210033119A: Mtsbsi MU2B60, Denver, CO, December 10, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 10, 2004, 19:40 local time
- Place: Denver, CO
- Airport: Centennial Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: VOXA
- Location: 39.5464° N, 104.8431° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5464&lon=-104.8431&mi=10
- Aircraft: N538EA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N538EA-2007-12-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 (registry code 5780460, https://openairdocs.org/model/mitsubishi-mu-2b-60) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: AiResearch TPE331 series (registry code 01514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MTSBSI MU2B60
- Reported engine: GARRTT TPE331*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 325 in this make and model, 180 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN05FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA034) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041210033119A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN05FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA034), Dec 11, 2004: Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 (N538EA), Englewood, CO, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the 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…

## Other reports on N538EA (1)

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

- [Incident 19891206059279I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891206059279I), Dec 6, 1989: Mtsbsi MU2B60 (N538EA), Erie, PA, Minor damage. Left engine vibrating. Shut down and landed. Found propeller blade had broken off.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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