Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 accident near Eola, Illinois, March 5, 1986
On March 5, 1986 at about 11:06 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, registered N513DC, was destroyed in an accident near Eola, Illinois. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 5, 1986 · about 11:06 pm local time
- Place
- Eola, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 · all MU-2B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N513DC · registry record · serial 1513 SA
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
EVIDENCE SHOWS CO-PILOT CALLED, 'MAYDAY, UNCONTROLLED SPIN' AFTER ACFT RADAR TRACK SHOWED DECEL FROM 180 TO 120 KTS OVER 2 MIN PERIOD WHILE MAINTAINING CONSTANT 4000 FT CRZ ALT. CONSTANT ALT CONSISTENT WITH AUTOPILOT/AUTOTRIM USE, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF REPORTED TURBULENCE/ICING. ELEV TRIM FOUND AT APPROX 13 DEG NOSE UP. NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION IN ACFT PWRPLANTS, STRUCTURE OR SYSTEMS. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS SCENARIO OF CREW INATTENTION AFTER PWR REDUCTION WITH AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE SETTING. ON PWR APPLICATION, ACFT PITCHED UP FROM SLOW SPEED INTO UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT. DUTY DAY AT TIME OF MISHAP APPROACHING 11 HOURS.
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: 4,590 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 4,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,184 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 24, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-10501M (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CGX Chicago IL at 10:45 pm
- Destination: DPA West Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DPA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.