Mitsubishi MU-2B-36 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, September 6, 1990
On September 6, 1990 at about 4:31 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-36, registered N82MA, was destroyed in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville Intl airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY WITHOUT FURTHER MAINTENANCE, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF (WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LACK OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE, AND THE UNFAVORABLE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1990 · about 4:31 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-36 · all MU-2B-36s on the register
- Registration
- N82MA · registry record · serial 665
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON A PREVIOUS FLT, LOW POWER WAS NOTED IN THE RGT ENG, THE RGT ENG FUEL FLOW WAS 5 TO 8 GAL/HR LESS THAN THE LEFT ENG & THE RGT ENG TEMP (ITT) WAS ABT 500 DEG LESS THAN THE LEFT. A DECISION WAS MADE TO FERRY THE ACFT TO A MAINT FACILITY TO HAVE THE RGT ENG EXAMINED. THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A 5186' RWY (RWY 2C) WITH A LGT TAIL WIND IN 95 DEG TEMP, THOUGH THE ARPT HAD LONGER RWYS (7702', 8000' & 8500'). A WITNESS NOTED THE ACFT LIFTED OFF AT THE END OF THE RWY (CHARTS SHOWED THE TAKEOFF ROLL WITH NORMAL POWER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABT 3100'). WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT REMAINED LOW (NEARLY HITTING A 55' LGT STANDARD) UNTIL IT ROLLED RGT & 'DROPPED LIKE A ROCK.' IMPACT OCCURRED IN A RGT WING LOW ATTITUDE ABT 2 MI FM THE DEP END OF RWY 2C. THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD BY IMPACT & FIRE; NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE WAS FND. BOTH ENGS HAD EVIDENCE OF ENG ROTATION AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE OPERATOR'S LEAD MECHANIC HAD RPRTD FOR DUTY ABT 3 HRS BEFORE THE ACDNT FLT, BUT HE HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE ENG PROBLEM BEFORE THE ACFT TOOK OFF.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,379 hours in all; 5,854 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 8,286 as pilot in command; 1,415 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,714 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 26, 1990; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Tennessee Air CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: BNA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: MBT Murfreesboro TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2C, 5,186 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:38 pm from BNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.