Mitsubishi MU-2B-20F accident near San Diego, California, February 28, 1989
On February 28, 1989 at about 7:03 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-20F, registered N701DM, was destroyed in an accident near San Diego, California. It was a public-use 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
PILOT INCAPACITATION FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1989 · about 7:03 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-20F · all MU-2B-20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N701DM · registry record · serial 149
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO PROVIDE AIRBORNE INTERCEPT TRAINING FOR THE U.S. NAVY. THE MISSION HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED& THE ACCIDENT ACFT, FNT701, & ANOTHER ACFT, FNT492, WERE RETURNING HOME WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. RADAR DATA SHOWED FNT701 WAS AT 22,700 FT WHEN IT DESCENDED SLIGHTLY TO 22,500 FT. FNT701 REMAINED AT THIS ALT FOR APRX 2 MINS 37 SECS, THEN BEGAN A DESCENT WHICH RESULTED IN IMPACT WITH THE OCEAN. THIS FINAL DESCENT RATE INITIALLY WAS ABOUT 5,000 FPM & INCREASED TO 19,000 FPM. NO DISTRESS CALLS WERE MADE; HOWEVER, TWO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECORDED WHICH TOTALED APRX 30 SECS. THERE WAS NO VOICE COMMUNICATION DURING THESE TRANSMISSIONS, ONLY AN OPEN MIKE & THE SOUND OF PROP(S). DURING THE 1ST TRANSMISSION, THE WORD 'OH' COULD BE HEARD. FNT492 OBSERVED FNT701 DESCEND BELOW THE CLOUDS & DID NOT DETECT ANY DISTRESS SIGNALS. LITTLE WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED DURING SEARCH & RESCUE OPERATIONS.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,262 hours in all; 1,010 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 6,291 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 3, 1988; 138 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,920 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-1-151 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.