Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 accident near S. Charleston, West Virginia, August 29, 1993
On August 29, 1993 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-40, registered N965MA, was destroyed in an accident near S. Charleston, West Virginia (Mallory Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was improper emergency procedures by the pilot which resulted in the shutdown of an operative engine, following a power loss due to a failed torque sensor in the other engine, which resulted in a total power loss approach, landing, and overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1993 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- S. Charleston, West Virginia · Mallory Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 · all MU-2B-40s on the register
- Registration
- N965MA · registry record · serial 404SA
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED, FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT ENGINE APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE LATER WHILE HE WAS IN CRUISE AT 25000 FT. HE SAID HE INITIATED A STEEP DESCENT TO GET BELOW 18000 FT, AND ATTEMPTS AT RESTARTING THE LEFT ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT LANDED 500 FT DOWN A 1900 FT LONG RUNWAY AND RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END, 300 FT, INTO A WOODED AREA. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND 130 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD IN THE MAIN TANKS. THE FUEL WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO BE FREE OF WATER. THE FUEL LINES WERE FREE OF OBSTRUCTIONS AND THE FUEL PUMPS WORKED. A FAILED TORQUE SENSOR WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT ENGINE WHICH WOULD DISCONNECT THE LEFT ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP. THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS TEST RUN SATISFACTORILY.
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; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,370 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 6,370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,739 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 21, 1993; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,470 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RST Rochester MN at 5:15 pm
- Destination: ROA Roanoke VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 1,904 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 93°F (34°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CRW, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC93FA177.