Aspen Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aspen, Colorado 81611
Wednesday, March 30, 1983 15:41 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE INBOUND, THE PLT CHECKED THE ATIS WHICH WAS REPORTING A WIND FROM 350 DEG AT 10 KTS. HE CONTINUED INBOUND, AND WHEN HE CHECKED WITH THE TOWER, THE WIND WAS FROM 350 DEG AT 6 KTS. THE PLT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON THE RWY OF HIS CHOICE, HE STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 15 INSTEAD OF RWY 33, SINCE RWY I5 SLOPED UPHILL. REPORTEDLY, AT APRC 75 FT AGL, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE & A DOWNDRAFT OR WIND SHEAR. THE PLT APPLIED POWER, BUT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A 3-POINT ATTITUDE, THEN BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN TO ABOUT 30 FT AGL. HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE LANDING SINCE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AGAIN & THEN AFTER IT TOUCHED DOWN A GUST OF WIND WAS ALSO ENCOUNTERED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY ONTO SNOW COVERED TERRAIN & NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1541
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ASPEN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81611
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ASPEN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ASE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 7793
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1546 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ASE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7793
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1024
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21332
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N434C
NTSB Number DEN83LA088
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STINSON
Aircraft Model 108-2
Aircraft Series Identifier 108-2
Aircraft Serial Number 108-3434
Certified Max Gross Weight 2078
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD E. MURPHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 983
Aircraft Owner City RIFLE
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81650
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RIL
Departure City RIFLE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ASE
Destination City ASPEN
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 6001
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --