Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 30, 2004
On November 30, 2004 at about 11:08 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60, registered N941MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Int'L Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 failure of the ground controller to coordinate the runway crossing of a maintenance tug, with the local controller, which resulted in a ground collision with an MU-2 airplane during it's takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 2004 · about 11:08 am local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Philadelphia Int'L Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- 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
- N941MA · registry record · serial 744 SA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a tug during takeoff. According to the pilot of the MU-2 airplane he was cleared to taxi from his parking spot on the northeast side of the airport, to runway 35, by the ground controller on duty. He then taxied to runway 35 via taxiway A, taxiway D, across runway 26, to taxiway K. Approximately 1 minute after the pilot of the MU-2 was cleared to taxi, the same ground controller cleared a maintenance tug towing an MD-80, to taxi from the same (northeast) ramp as the MU-2, to a ramp on the west side of runway 35. The taxi clearance issued by the ground controller included a clearance for the tug to cross runway 35. Once the MU-2 pilot arrived at the runway, he contacted the tower controller and was cleared for takeoff from runway 35. The pilot initiated a takeoff, and as the airplane reached an airspeed of 80 knots, the pilot observed an aircraft tug crossing the runway centerline. The pilot then aborted the takeoff, and maneuvered the airplane to the left side of the runway; however, the airplane contacted the tug at the intersection of runway 35 and taxiways "Golf" and "Echo." At the time of the accident, three full performance level air traffic controllers were working in the tower cab; a local controller (LCE), ground controller (GC), and clearance delivery controller. The LCE and GC positions were located next to each other in the northeast corner of the tower cab. FAA Air Traffic Control regulations required that a ground controller must obtain approval from a local controller before authorizing an aircraft or a vehicle to cross or use any portion of an active runway. Additionally, the standard operating procedures for the airport required all runway crossing authorization and runway crossing complete coordination to be accomplished via a recorded landline. Controller interviews and review of recorded voice communications revealed the ground controller did not coordinate the runway crossing of the maintenance tug with the local controller.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,100 as pilot in command; 440 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 11,575 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE 331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHL Philadelphia PA at 11:00 am
- Destination: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 5,460 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from PHL
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 N941MA 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.