Rockwell 112TC accident near Durango, Colorado, September 4, 1983
On September 4, 1983, a Rockwell 112TC, registered N4581W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Animas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- September 4, 1983
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Animas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112TC
- Registration
- N4581W · no longer on the register · serial 13071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING LANDING. THE DENSITY ALT AT THE ARPT WAS 8800 FT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE LANDING RWY WAS 19 AND THE WIND WAS 270 DEGREES AT 3 KTS. THE ACFT LANDED ABOUT2500 FT DOWN THE 5000 FT RWY. AN FAA INSPECTOR NOTED SKID MARKS FROM BOTH TIRES STARTING 650 FT FROM THE RWYS END. THE PLT HAD ONLY 3.4 HOURS IN THIS ACFT OF WHICH 1 HOUR WAS A CHECKOUT RIDE AND 2.4 HOURS FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,163 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 1,783 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 814 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 26, 1983; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Associates Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:40 pm from DRO, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N4581W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.