Accidents
Inverters eyed in OSU King Air crash
Failed inverters appear to be the prime suspect in the NTSB’s investigation of the January 27 crash of a King Air 200 in Strasburg, Colo.

Failed inverters appear to be the prime suspect in the NTSB’s investigation of the January 27 crash of a King Air 200 in Strasburg, Colo. The two crewmembers and eight Oklahoma State University (OSU) basketball team members and personnel aboard the twin turboprop were killed in the accident.

The Board released factual information in mid-August, and investigators revealed findings of broken fuses in each inverter, which they do not believe are attributed to post-crash damage. A 2,800-ft-long debris field and the length of time from last communication to the point of impact indicate the turboprop did not careen wildly out of the sky. Powerplant, system and structure analysis, beyond the electrical system, do not suggest mechanical failures contributed to the accident.