Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 accident near St Paul, Minnesota, November 30, 2001
On November 30, 2001 at about 3:28 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-40, registered N9052Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Paul, Minnesota (St Paul Downtown Holman Fld airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The autopilot's computer connections arcing and reported disconnection during the localizer approach and the pilot not performing a go around prior to the hard landing. A factor was the pilots lack of total experience in the accident airplane's make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 2001 · about 3:28 pm local time
- Place
- St Paul, Minnesota · St Paul Downtown Holman Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 · all MU-2B-40s on the register
- Registration
- N9052Y · no longer on the register · serial 39917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with the runway during a hard landing following a coupled autopilot approach. The pilot and three passengers were uninjured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot reported, "I was using the autopilot to fly the ILS localized timed approach. I was looking for the runway and watching the time. The autopilot inadvertently disengaged, turning the airplane to the left. I righted the airplane just before touchdown. It landed on the mains with the nose slightly high. It came down, and the front wheel and strut broke." During the next flight, a ferry flight for repairs, the accident pilot reported that he engaged the autopilot at 2,500 feet. The pilot reported that when the autopilot was engaged, the airplane pitched down and turned sharply to the right. The pilot reported using opposing control inputs and differential engine power to maintain airplane control. The pilot performed a no flap landing at an en route airport with a 2,497-foot long runway. An examination of the airplane revealed that when the autopilot computer was moved in its shock mount the yoke moved "violently right in roll axis and forward in pitch axis." The MU-2 airplane flight manual's emergency procedures stated, "In case of emergency, the autopilot can be overpowered manually to correct the attitude, but the autopilot must immediately be disengaged. If the autopilot remains engaged, the autopilot will trim the airplane to oppose the pilot's actions. This could result in a severely out of trim condition." The manual stated, "The autopilot can also be disengaged by any of the following methods, "1. Operate trim switch UP or DOWN, 2. Position inverter switch to OFF momentarily and then return, to original position, 3. Turn off the ELECTRIC MASTER SWITCH." The pilot reported 11 hour hours of pilot in command time in the accident airplane make and model.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,420 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 3,370 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 4, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 10,470 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TPE-331-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TPE-331-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BEH Benton Harbor MI at 1:00 pm
- Destination: STP Saint Paul MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 6,711 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from STP
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.