Mitsubishi MU 2B-20 accident near Ames, Iowa, January 24, 1984
On January 24, 1984 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU 2B-20, registered N123AX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ames, Iowa (Municipal airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1984 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Ames, Iowa · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU 2B-20 · all MU 2B-20s on the register
- Registration
- N123AX · registry record · serial 220
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED IN A CROSSWIND ON A SNOW AND ICE COVERED RWY. DURING LANDING, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK. THE PLT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO USE PROPELLER REVERSING FOR BRAKING AND THE ACFT STARTED TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT.
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: 10,785 hours in all; 327 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 8,305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 21, 1983; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,930 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE331-1-151A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHA Chattanooga TN at 2:25 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC84LA064.