Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1988
On February 12, 1988 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-35, registered N339MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia 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 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 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
- February 12, 1988 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Philadelphia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- N339MA · registry record · serial 607
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MITSUBISHI MU-2B-35 LANDED AND DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LEFT WING MIDWAY BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND TIP TANK AND OUTBOARD TO THE TIP TANK. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE WING SHOWED A BROKEN LOWER FRONT WING SPAR AND A BENT REAR LOWER WING SPAR. THE PILOT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE WHILE CRUISING AT 250 KTS. HE SAID HE SLOWED TO 170 KTS AND THEN RESUMED SPEED TO 250 KTS. AFTER MITSUBISHI EXAMINED THE WING, THEY SAID THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY EITHER A HARD LANDING OR LANDING WITH EXCESS FUEL IN THE TIP TANK. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE WING DAMAGE PRESENT.
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: 1,862 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 1,146 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,578 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 21, 1987; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,520 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-6-251 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Epps Air
The flight
- Departed from: UCA Utica NY at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27R, 9,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.