Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, March 19, 1983
On March 19, 1983 at about 4:35 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-40, registered N181RS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado (Ft. Collins/Loveland Muni airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1983 · about 4:35 am local time
- Place
- Fort Collins, Colorado · Ft. Collins/Loveland Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 · all MU-2B-40s on the register
- Registration
- N181RS · registry record · serial 426SA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT DRIFTED LEFT AFTER TOUCHDOWN. PROPS WERE BROUGHT TO THE BETA RANGE, & CORRECTION WAS ADDED WITH RIGHT SPOILER & RIGHT RUDDER. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE DROPPING OR TURNING TO THE LEFT & THE ACFT HIT A SNOWRIDGE. BOTH ENGS WERE FEATHERED & THE ACFT SLID ALONG THE SNOWRIDGE. THE LEFT WING TIP WAS STRIKING THE GROUND ALONG WITH THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DRAG STRUT WAS SHEARED FLUSH WITH THE BARREL CAUSING THE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. METALLURGICAL TESTS REVEALED THAT THE ROD HAD BEEN OVERLOADED & HAD NOT BEEN WEAKENED BY CORROSION, CRACKS OR FATIGUE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,901 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 3,754 as pilot in command; 190 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 655 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 17, 1983; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,700 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE-331-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Newcomb Securites CO.
The flight
- Departed from: GRI Grand Island NE at 3:15 am
- Destination: FNL Ft. Collins CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 6,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Observation at 3:39 am from FCL, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.