Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, January 9, 1990
On January 9, 1990 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-25, registered N666HB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Craig Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE OWNER/OPERATOR TO OBTAIN PROPER MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT WITHOUT A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION (KNOWN DEFICIENCY), AN OIL LEAK IN THE LEFT ENGINE WHICH RESULTED IN OIL EXHAUSTION, AND AN UNDETERMINED PROPELLER CONTROL LINKAGE PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 1990 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Craig Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 · all MU-2B-25s on the register
- Registration
- N666HB · registry record · serial 281
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LT PROP & ENG WERE FEATHERED & SECURED DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE. THE PLT DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. DURING FINAL APCH WITH A LANDING CONFIGURATION, HE APPLIED POWER, BUT THE RT ENG PROVIDED ONLY ABOUT 40% TORQUE. ATMTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLT RETRACTED THE GEAR & DITCHED THE ACFT. EXAM OF LT ENG NACELLE REVEALED OIL LEAKAGE FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE, WHICH DEPLETED THE OIL SUPPLY. THE RT ENG CONDITION & POWER LEVERS WERE OPERATIONALLY CHECKED. WHEN MOVED, THE LINKAGE AT THE PROP GOVERNOR DID NOT MOVE; THE FUEL CONTROL CONCENTRIC SHAFT CONTROL LINKAGE ASSY WAS 'STIFF.' NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHY THE PROP GOVERNOR DID NOT MOVE WHEN THE CONDITION LEVER WAS MOVED. THE RT ENG WAS REMOVED FOR AN ENG RUN. IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE PROP GOVERNOR & PROP PITCH CONTROL WERE TESTED; THEY OPERATED NORMALLY. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPN WAS DATED 3/5/84. A 100 HR INSPN OF THE AIRFRAME (ONLY) WAS PERFORMED 2.3 FLT HRS BEFORE THE ACDNT. THE ENG LOGBOOKS WERE NOT LOCATED.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 13,500 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,353 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 11, 1989; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,714 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331M (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AGS Augusta GA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: VRB Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:43 pm from CRG, 4 miles away
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.