Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 N339MA

Summary

On 12 February 1988 at about 19:45 local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 registered N339MA, operated by Epps Air, was involved in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

12 February 1988 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Philadelphia (PHL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Mitsubishi MU-2B-35

Registration

N339MA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Epps Air

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Utica → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC88LA085

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE MITSUBISHI MU-2B-35 LANDED AND DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LEFT WING MIDWAY BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND TIP TANK AND OUTBOARD TO THE TIP TANK. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE WING SHOWED A BROKEN LOWER FRONT WING SPAR AND A BENT REAR LOWER WING SPAR. THE PILOT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE WHILE CRUISING AT 250 KTS. HE SAID HE SLOWED TO 170 KTS AND THEN RESUMED SPEED TO 250 KTS. AFTER MITSUBISHI EXAMINED THE WING, THEY SAID THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY EITHER A HARD LANDING OR LANDING WITH EXCESS FUEL IN THE TIP TANK. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE WING DAMAGE PRESENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.