Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 N309MA

Summary

On 21 September 1995 at about 09:25 local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 registered N309MA, operated by Corporate Flight Management, was involved in an accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 1995 at 09:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Smyrna, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

35.9800, -86.5102

Aircraft

Mitsubishi MU-2B-35

Registration

N309MA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Corporate Flight Management

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Louisville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA95FA226

2 people were seriously injured.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKEOFF, AND HIS INADVERTENT ENTRY IN A DESCENDING SPIRAL, WHICH HE FAILED TO CORRECT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, AND THE PILOT BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN AN IFR CLEARANCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ON CLIMBOUT FROM RUNWAY 32. THE AIRPLANE STARTED A RIGHT TURN ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 30 TO 45 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK. THE AIRPLANE STOPPED CLIMBING AND BEGAN DESCENDING. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH A TREE LINE, WHILE IN A RIGHT BANK, AND THEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT WERE DESCRIBED BY THE WITNESS AS VERY DARK, WITH NO AMBIENT LIGHT OR VISIBLE HORIZON. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM, ENGINE ASSEMBLY, AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE AUTOPILOT WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION, AND THE AUTOPILOT CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE NOT TRIPPED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND HAD NO MEMORY OF THE FLIGHT. A RADIO TRANSCRIPT REVEALED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF, THE FLIGHT HAD MADE ONE RADIO TRANSMISSION TO REQUEST AN IFR CLEARANCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.