Amateur-built MX-2 accident near Granby, Colorado, June 24, 1983
On June 24, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built MX-2 (ultralight), registered N3133L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Granby, Colorado. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- June 24, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Granby, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MX-2
- Registration
- N3133L · registry record · serial 3866
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ULTRALIGHT NOSED DOWN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 100' AGL AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON THE REMAINING RWY AFTER THE POWER LOSS, BUT THE ACFT COULD NOT BE FLARED AND ENDED UP ON THE RWY PARTIALLY INVERTED. THE REAR SPARK PLUG OF THE ENGINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE SMALL PARTICLES OF CARBON BETWEEN THE ELECTRODE AND FIRING POINT MAKING THE SPARK PLUG INOPERATIVE. THE SPARK PLUG WAS A CHAMPION TYPE N3C USED ON TWO-CYCLE GAS ENGINES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 435 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 715 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1982; 255 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 2F430 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Granby CO
- Destination: Granby CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots, gusting 5
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 N3133L 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.