Mitsubishi MU-2B-30 accident near Chillicothe, Ohio, September 28, 1996
On September 28, 1996 at about 12:35 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, registered N618BB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chillicothe, Ohio (Ross County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to follow the published emergency procedures after loss of power in the left engine. Factors relating to the accident were: fatigue failure of the left torque sensor and gear assembly, which resulted in the loss of engine power, failure of the manufacturer to comply with the respective service bulletin, and the pilot's improper use of the flaps and reverse (single-engine) thrust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 1996 · about 12:35 pm local time
- Place
- Chillicothe, Ohio · Ross County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30 · all MU-2B-30s on the register
- Registration
- N618BB · no longer on the register · serial 533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Pilot (plt) said that after climbing about 500' after takeoff, at 120 kts with the gear retracted, the left engine lost power. He feathered the propeller, lowered the nose to the horizon, & began a shallow left turn back to the airport. He left the flaps at 20 deg & noted a descent of 200' to 300' per min in the turn. After clearing trees, the plt extended the landing gear, banked the aircraft (acft) to the right to align it with the runway (rwy), & lowered flaps to 40 deg. After touchdown, he applied single engine reversing. Acft went off right side of rwy & into a ditch, collapsing the right main & nose gear. Exam of the engine revealed the torque sensor housing had failed, resulting in loss of drive to the fuel pump. Metallurgical exam of the housing arm of the torque sensor revealed it had failed from fatigue. On 9/14/79, a service bulletin (SB) was issued for replacement of the torque sensor housing with an improved housing. The manufacturer overhauled the engine on 12/1179, but SB was not complied with. SB indicated a history of resonant vibration causing cracks in the housing arm of original torque sensor & gear assemblies, & that the housing should be replaced, no later than during next part exposure. Investigation revealed pilot did not comply with engine failure procedures & airspeeds. Flight manual cautioned not to use 40 deg of flaps during single engine landings.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,400 hours in all; 2,150 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 5,100 as pilot in command; 1,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,644 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 24, 1996; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,800 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-1-151 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RZT at 12:30 pm
- Destination: OSU Columbus OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from RTZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.