Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 accident near Chicago, Illinois, November 17, 1988
On November 17, 1988 at about 4:33 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, registered N271MA, was destroyed in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Midway airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- November 17, 1988 · about 4:33 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago Midway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 · all MU-2B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N271MA · registry record · serial S.A.797
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FIRST TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED DUE TO A PERCEIVED ENGINE PROBLEM. SIX MINUTES LATER ON SECOND TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 50 FEET, DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, ROLLED RIGHT AND IMPACTED IN THE INFIELD. THIS WAS A SINGLE PILOT OPERATION IN A COMPLEX AIRCRAFT. WINDS EXCEEDED THE DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND LIMITATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE PILOT WAS USING THE SEAT BELT OR SHOULDER HARNESS. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION OF BOTH ENGINES AND PROPS DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO OPERATIONAL DEFECTS AND THAT BOTH WERE PORDUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. STRONG GUSTY WINDS VARYING IN INTENSITY FROM 15 TO 30 KNOTS AND VARYING IN DIRECTION FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHWEST WERE PREVALENT AT THE AIRPORT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PROP CONDITION LEVERS WERE FOUND IN THE TAXI POSITION AND THE POWER LEVERS WERE SET WITH THE LEFT ENGINE NEAR FLIGHT IDLE POSITION AND THE RIGHT ENGINE AT THE TAKEOFF POSITION.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,507 hours in all; 904 in this make and model; 303 in the last 90 days; 102 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command; 335 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,282 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 4, 1988; 304 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-10511 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Aviation Svcs. INC.
The flight
- Destination: STL St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31L, 6,519 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:33 am from MDW
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.
Other NTSB records under N271MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.