Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 and Beech 1900C accident near Syracuse, New York, March 31, 1989
On March 31, 1989 at about 12:17 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 (N638MA) and Beech 1900C (N7254R), were involved in the same accident near Syracuse, New York (Syracuse-Hancock airport). 5 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE CREW OF BROCKWAY FLIGHT 993 TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OTHER AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE FIRST OFFICER'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT & THE CAPTAIN'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITION, AND THE GROUND CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY TO ICARUS 60.
FAILURE OF THE CREW OF BROCKWAY FLIGHT 993 TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OTHER AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE FIRST OFFICER'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT & THE CAPTAIN'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITION, AND THE GROUND CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY TO ICARUS 60.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1989 · about 12:17 pm local time
- Place
- Syracuse, New York · Syracuse-Hancock · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 5 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 · all MU-2B-35s on the register
- Registration
- N638MA · registry record · serial 638
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 1900C · all 1900Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7254R · no longer on the register · serial UB-22
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BROCKWAY AIR FLT 993 (BE-1900C, N7254R) WAS CLRD TO LND ON RWY 28 AS ICARUS 60 (MITSUBISHI MU-2B, N638MA) WAS TAXIING TO RWY 28, VIA THE PARALLEL TWY (ALPHA). WX WAS IN PART: PTLY OBSCD, 200' OVC, VIS 3/4 MI WITH LGT DRZL & FOG, WND CALM. WHILE LNDG, FLT 993 WAS ADZD TO TURN RGT WHEN ABLE & TO CTC GND CTL 'LEAVING THE RUNWAY.' AT 1216:53 EST, FLT 993 TMTD TO GND CTL THAT THE FLT WAS OFF THE RWY. AT 1217:00, GND CTLR TOLD FLT 993 TO 'GIVE WAY TO THE MITSUBISHI, THEN TAXI TO RAMP VIA ECHO. . .' AT ABT THAT TIME, AN ELT ACTVTD AS THE 2 ACFT COLLIDED. INV REVEALED 1ST OFFICER OF FLT 993 MADE THE LNDG, TURNED OFF ON TWY ECHO & BGN TO CROSS TWY ALPHA. TWY ECHO ANGLED OFF THE RWY, BUT WAS NOT A HIGH SPEED TWY, THO CAPT OF FLT 993 THOUGHT IT WAS. COLLISION OCCURRED AT INTXN OF TWYS. NEITHER CREW SAW THE OTR ACFT UNTIL MOMENTS BFR IMPACT. CTLR'S VIEW OF TWY ALPHA WAS PARTLY BLOCKED BY OBSTNS; GND CTLR DID NOT ADZ ICARUS 60 OF PSN OF FLT 993 OR INSTRUCT HIM TO HOLD SHORT OF INTXN. CAPT OF ICARUS 60 HAD LOOKED AWAY FOR ANOTHER ACFT JUST BFR IMPACT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech 1900C final · quoted from the NTSB record
BROCKWAY AIR FLT 993 (BE-1900C, N7254R) WAS CLRD TO LND ON RWY 28 AS ICARUS 60 (MITSUBISHI MU-2B, N638MA) WAS TAXIING TO RWY 28, VIA THE PARALLEL TWY (ALPHA). WX WAS IN PART: PTLY OBSCD, 200' OVC, VIS 3/4 MI WITH LGT DRZL & FOG, WND CALM. WHILE LNDG, FLT 993 WAS ADZD TO TURN RGT WHEN ABLE & TO CTC GND CLT 'LEAVING THE RUNWAY.' AT 1216:53 EST, FLT 993 TMTD TO GND CTL THAT THE FLT WAS OFF THE RWY. AT 1217:00, GND CTLR TOLD FLT 993 TO 'GIVE WAY TO THE MITSUBISHI, THEN TAXI TO RAMP VIA ECHO...' AT ABT THAT TIME, AN ELT ACTVTD AS THE 2 ACFT COLLIDED. INV REVEALED 1ST OFFICER OF FLT 993 MADE THE LNDG, TURNED OFF ON TWY ECHO & BGN TO CROSS TWY ALPHA. TWY ECHO ANGLED OFF THE RWY, BUT WAS NOT A HIGH SPEED TWY, THO CAPT OF FLT 993 THOUGHT IT WAS. COLLISION OCCURRED AT INTXN OF TWYS. NEITHER CREW SAW THE OTR ACFT UNTIL MOMENTS BFR IMPACT. CTLR'S VIEW OF TWY ALPHA WAS PARTLY BLOCKED BY OBSTNS; GND CLTR DID NOT ADZ ICARUS 60 OF PSN OF FLT 993 OR INSTRUCT HIM TO HOLD SHORT OF INTXN. CAPT OF ICARUS 60 HAD LOOKED AWAY FOR ANOTHER ACFT JUST BFR IMPACT.
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 for the Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 5,100 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,725 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 23, 1989; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,800 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Aero
The flight
- Destination: ALB Albany NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 9,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:49 pm from SYR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 1900C 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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,918 hours in all; 1,321 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 3,020 as pilot in command; 894 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,188 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 28, 1989; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,600 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-65B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brockway Air
The flight
- Departed from: MSS Massena NY at 11:26 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 9,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.
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.