Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 incident near Teterboro, New Jersey, January 20, 1988
On January 20, 1988 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-35, registered N349MA, was involved in an incident near Teterboro, New Jersey. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. 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
- January 20, 1988 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Teterboro, New Jersey
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 · all MU-2B-35s on the register
- Registration
- N349MA · registry record · serial 31667985054
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MU-2 MADE A DEPARTURE AND WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 800 FT AGL, THERE WAS AN INADVERTENT AUTO-PILOT ENGAGEMENT. THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AND RIGHT. BOTH PILOTS GOT ON THE CONTROLS AND CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED. A NORMAL LANDING WAS MADE AT THE POINT OF DEPARTURE. THE FLIGHT CREW DID NOT USE STANDARD AUTO-PILOT DISENGAGEMENT PROCEDURES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 400 in the last 90 days; 3,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 10, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Epps Air
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 12:15 pm
- Destination: PNE No.Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from TEB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N349MA 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.