Mitsubishi MU-2B-36A accident near Winchester, Tennessee, July 16, 1987
On July 16, 1987 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-36A, registered N702H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winchester, Tennessee (Winchester Municipal airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1987 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Winchester, Tennessee · Winchester Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-36A · all MU-2B-36As on the register
- Registration
- N702H · no longer on the register · serial 727SA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE CIRCLED OVER THE AIRPORT TO CHECK FOR TRAFFIC THEN MADE A TURN TO BASE. HE WAS TOO NEAR THE RUNWAY AND TOO HIGH FOR A NORMAL APPROACH. THE PILOT USED FULL FLAPS AND DECREASED POWER; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND RAPIDLY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,600 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,562 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-5252M (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna TN at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N702H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.