Mitsubishi MU-2B accident near Mansfield, Ohio, January 2, 1989
On January 2, 1989 at about 9:43 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B, registered N500V, was destroyed in an accident near Mansfield, Ohio (Mansfield Lahm Muni). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AT ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS CHANGING RADIO FREQUENCIES DURING AN IFR APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1989 · about 9:43 pm local time
- Place
- Mansfield, Ohio · Mansfield Lahm Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B · all MU-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N500V · no longer on the register · serial 3795A
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG ARRIVAL, THE FLT WAS VCTRD FOR AN ILS RWY 32 APCH. AS THE ARRIVAL CONTD, THE ATC CTLR PROVIDED THE LATEST INFO ON CLOUD TOPS & IN-CLOUD ICING. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED, THEN INQUIRED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE 'LOCATOR.' THE CTLR ADZD THAT ALL COMPONENTS OF THE ILS, INCLUDING THE OUTER MARKER LOCATOR, WERE MONITORING NML. FOUR MI FM THE OUTER MARKER/FAF, THEPLT WAS GIVEN A FINAL VECTOR, WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH & WAS CLRD TO CIRCLE & LND ON RWY 23. HE ACKNOWLEDGED, THEN RADIO & RADAR CTC WITH THE ACFT WERE LOST. THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 2 MI SE OF THE FAF, WHILE IN A STEEP DSCNT ON A HDG OF 140 DEG.NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FND, THOUGH IT WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD. ABT 3 WKS AFTER A BOATING ACDNT ON 7/2/88, THE PLT WAS ADMITTED TO A HOSPITAL & TREATED FOR A STROKE, BUT AN AUTOPSY & TOX CHECKS FAILED TO REVEALANY COND WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PLT FM PERFORMING HIS DUTIES. AD 88-13-01, CONCERNING ACFT EQUIPPED WITH M-4C/D AUTOPLTS, WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,700 hours in all; 2,860 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,288 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 13, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 8,930 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GSP Greenville SC at 8:05 pm
- Destination: Mansfield OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded at 800 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 pm from MFD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
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.