Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 accident near Kansas City, Missouri, July 3, 1987
On July 3, 1987 at about 2:05 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, registered N271MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri (Mkc Downtown airport). It was a positioning 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
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
- July 3, 1987 · about 2:05 am local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Missouri · Mkc Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 · all MU-2B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N271MA · registry record · serial 797 SA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TAKEOFF, PIC LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF ACFT, CAUSING IT TO SWERVE OFF THE ACTIVE RUNWAY, SPIN AROUND, SHEARING THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY AND LEFT MAIN WHEEL. THE NOSE WHEEL STRUT ASSEMBLY CAREENED INTO THE RIGHT POWERPLANT PROPELLER CAUSING THE TORQUE SHAFT TO SHEAR. SUBSEQUENT TEAR DOWN AND INSPECTION OF THE POWERPLANTS, AND THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM SHOWED NO MALFUNCTION OF THE RESPECTIVE COMPONENTS. THE PIC WAS THE OWNER OF THE AIR TAXI SERVICE AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPOSITIONING THE ACFT. HIS TOTAL TIME IN MU-2'S REFLECTS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CO-PLT TIME.
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: 4,599 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 2,825 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,998 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 124 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Aviation Service
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 2:05 am
- Destination: TUL Tulsa OK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:24 am from MKC, 1 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.
Other NTSB records under N271MA 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.