Nihon YS-11A-600F incident near West Lafayette, Indiana, April 3, 1990
On April 3, 1990 at about 10:45 am local time, a Nihon YS-11A-600F, registered N112MP, was involved in an incident near West Lafayette, Indiana (Purdue University airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETECTED ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. RELATING FACTORS WERE THE MANUFACTURER'S LACK OF INFORMATION AND AIRCRAFT MANUALS RELATIVE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF, AND APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1990 · about 10:45 am local time
- Place
- West Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue University · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Nihon YS-11A-600F YS-11A-600
- Registration
- N112MP · no longer on the register · serial 2105
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO THE HOME BASE EMPTY (BALLAST ONLY). WEATHER CONDITIONS EXISTED WHICH WERE CONDUCIVE TO AIRFRAME ICING. ON FINAL APPROACH, WHEN LANDING FLAPS WERE SELECTED, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE DOWN ACCOMPANIED BY BUFFETING OF THE AIRFRAME. THE CAPTAIN TOOK CONTROL (FIRST OFFICER HAD BEEN FLYING) AND ADDED FULL POWER. THE FIRST OFFICER SELECTED 15 DEGREES FLAP. THE AIRCRAFT RECOVERED, BUT CONTINUED TO EXHIBIT BUFFETING. THE AIRCRAFT DIVERTED TO AN AIRPORT WITH A LONGER RUNWAY AND A SUCCESSFUL LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL ICE ACCUMULATION OUTSIDE THE BOOTED AREA ON THE HORIZONTAL TAIL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,677 hours in all; 3,341 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 55,110 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce DART 542-10J (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YIP Detroit MI at 9:39 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 6,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 am from LAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.