Jefferson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Broomfield, Colorado 80020
Friday, November 20, 1992 18:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN PREPARATION FOR A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH TAKEOFF OCCURRING DURING A SNOW STORM, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED IN THE HANGAR AND TOWED OUT BY FBO PERSONNEL. FOLLOWING THE TOW, THE TORQUE LINK WAS NOT PROPERLY CONNECTED AND SEPARATED DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN. DUE TO A LOSS OF NOSE WHEEL STEERING, THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE ABORT AND THE NOSE WHEEL WAS SHEARED OFF CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH ENGINES, WINGS, THE FUSELAGE, AND LANDING GEAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE BY FBO PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY CONNECT THE NOSE WHEEL TORQUE LINK AFTER TOWING THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BROOMFIELD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80020
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JEFFERSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BJC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5658
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5657
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2916
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 20 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1953
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47762
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N473FW
NTSB Number DEN93LA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MITSUBISHI
Aircraft Model MU-2B-25
Aircraft Series Identifier MU-2B-25
Aircraft Serial Number 269
Certified Max Gross Weight 9200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 23 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 3406
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WAYNE C. MUHLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 185 PIPER DR.
Aircraft Owner City ERIE
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80516
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WAYNE C. MUHLER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 185 PIPER DR.
Operator City ERIE
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80516
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BJC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAS
Destination City LAS VEGAS
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --