Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 accident near Burlington, Connecticut, April 20, 1984
On April 20, 1984 at about 1:22 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, registered N466MA, was destroyed in an accident near Burlington, Connecticut. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- April 20, 1984 · about 1:22 am local time
- Place
- Burlington, Connecticut
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 · all MU-2B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N466MA · registry record · serial 1540SA
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FLOWN EARLIER IN THE DAY FOR A SALES DEMONSTRATION. ON THE RETURN FLT, WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WERE LOWERED, THE PLT THOUGHT HE HEARD A NOISE EMITTING FROM THE GEAR, ALTHOUGH COCKPIT INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. THE ACFT LANDED AT JOHNNYCAKE ARPT & WAS REFUELED FOR A FLT TO BRADLEY FIELD WHERE IT IS HANGARED. THE PLT STATED HE INTENDED TO MAKE THE 22 MI FLT WITH THE GEAR DOWN AS A PRECAUTION. HE ALSO STATED HIS INTENTION TO FLY BELOW THE OVERCAST BECAUSE OF DELAYS OF UP TO 45 MIN IN OBTAINING IFR CLEARANCES. MOMENTS AFTER TAKEOFF THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES EAST OF THE ARPT. ABOUT 1 MI EAST OF THE ARPT IS A NORTH-SOUTH RIDGE. ANOTHER PLT, WHO DEPARTED 15-20 MINS EARLIER, REPORTED ENTERING THE OVERCAST BETWEEN 400 & 700 FT AGL. GROUND WITNESSES 1 MI SE OF THE ARPT WHO HEARD THE CRASH DESCRIBED THE WX AS HEAVY FOG & MIST. ONE WITNESS ESTIMATED THE CEILING AS 100 FT AGL.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,700 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 50,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,890 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 16, 1984; 857 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-10511M (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Turbine Air Management INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 22B Burlington CT
- Destination: BDL Windsor Locks CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 0°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.