Mitsubishi MU-2B-26A accident near Blythe, California, March 12, 2005
On March 12, 2005 at about 1:20 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-26A, registered N333WF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blythe, California (Blythe airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing. A factor to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention due to the flap system anomaly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2005 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Blythe, California · Blythe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-26A · all MU-2B-26As on the register
- Registration
- N333WF · no longer on the register · serial 387SA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot failed to lower the landing gear prior to touching down on the runway. The pilot said that during the approach into the airport, the flaps would not lock into the 20-degree extended position. The pilot decided to execute a no-flap landing and referred to the emergency checklist. The checklist advised the pilot to extend the landing gear; however, the pilot skimmed over the information thinking that the gear was already down and locked, and focused on the stabilized approach into the airport. The airplane touched down with the gear in the retracted position. No mechanical malfunctions were noted with the landing gear system on the airplane and a ground test run of the flaps did not reproduce the failure encountered during flight.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 942 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: December 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 10,470 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE 331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jaax Flying Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BNG Banning CA
- Destination: BLH Blythe CA
- Runway 8, 6,562 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.