The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB DEN83LA017 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 accident near Englewood, Colorado, November 11, 1982

On November 11, 1982 at about 11:36 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, registered N274MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Arapahoe County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

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
November 11, 1982 · about 11:36 pm local time
Place
Englewood, Colorado · Arapahoe County · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 · all MU-2B-60s on the register
Registration
N274MA · registry record · serial 786SA
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING REPOSITIONED FOR AN AIR TAXI OPERATION. THE PILOT BEGAN TAKING OFF ON A SLUSH COVERED RUNWAY. HE REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED, THE NOSEWHEEL BEGAN TO SLING WATER AND SLUSH OFF THE RUNWAY AND ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. HE RAISED THE NOSEWHEEL SLIGHTLY TO ELIMINATE THIS DISTRACTION. AT ABOUT THAT POINT, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY MOVED BOTH POWER LEVERS BACK TO THE REVERSE TO ABORT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SWERVED ABRUPTLY TO THE LEFT, BUT CONTINUED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE PILOT BROUGHT BOTH CONDITION LEVERS BACK TO THE EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF POSITION AS THE PLANE SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY. FROZEN SLUSH WAS FOUND ON THE AIRFRAME. A GRAYISH-WHITE RESIDUE, POSSIBLY FROM EVAPORATED WATER/STEAM WAS NOTED INSIDE THE EXHAUST STACK OF THE RIGHT ENG. BOTH PROP FEATHER VLVS WERE FOUND OPEN, BOTH ENG SHUT- OFF VLVS WERE CLOSED, BOTH PROP LATCH PINS WERE ENGAGED, BUT THE LEFT PROP WAS FEATHERED & THE RIGHT WAS IN FLAT PITCH.

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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 11,115 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 10,739 as pilot in command; 3,566 on instruments
  • Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: unk

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 1,288 hours
  • Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 82 hours since
  • Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
  • Seats: 11
  • Landing gear: retractable
  • Engine: Airesearch TPE-33110501M (turboprop); 0 hours total
  • Operator: International Jet Aviation Ser

The flight

  • Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 4:36 pm
  • Destination: DEN Denver CO
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 10, 4,900 ft by 62 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
  • Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
  • Observation at 4:37 pm from APA

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1

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.

Other NTSB records under N274MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time

1991-02-22FTW91FA043 · accident near Tulsa, OK · destroyed · fatal

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.