Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, February 22, 1991
On February 22, 1991 at about 9:19 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, registered N274MA, was destroyed in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma (Tulsa International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE SHUTDOWN OF ONE ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VMCA DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLIGHT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1991 · about 9:19 pm local time
- Place
- Tulsa, Oklahoma · Tulsa International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 · all MU-2B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N274MA · registry record · serial 786SA
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRPLANE WAS DEPARTING ON A REQUIRED MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF BOTH ENGINES. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND INITIAL CLIMB APPEARED NORMAL, BUT THAT AT ABOUT 500 FT AGL, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RIGHT BANK WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE WINGS WERE VERTICAL AND THE NOSE FELL THROUGH. AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN AN INVERTED STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD BEEN SECURED AND FEATHERED. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF EITHER ENGINE OR ANY OF THE AIRFRAME SYSTEMS. ENGINE MOUNTING/RIGGING CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS A PRINCIPAL IN THE OPERATOR'S ORGANIZATION AND NOT ONE OF THE REGULAR LINE PILOTS. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE GEAR WAS UP AND THAT THE LEFT SPOILER WAS DEPLOYED AT IMPACT. EMERG PROCEDURE TAUGHT IN TRANSITION TRAINING IS TO USE RUDDER TRIM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER ENG FAILURE TO PRECLUDE DEPLOYMENT OF SPOILERS. RUDDER TRIM FOUND IN NEUTRAL 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,910 hours in all; 445 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 4,531 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,094 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 22, 1991; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: CORP. Aviation Services, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 6,101 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N274MA 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.