Mitsubishi MU-2B-35J accident near Spokane, Washington, February 17, 1989
On February 17, 1989 at about 3:13 pm local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-35J, registered N54US, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Spokane Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DAWN, SNOW AND ICE ON THE RUNWAY, AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1989 · about 3:13 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Spokane Int'L
- 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-35J · all MU-2B-35Js on the register
- Registration
- N54US · registry record · serial 590
- 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
WHILE LANDING AT DAWN WITH SNOW & ICE ON THE RWY, THE ACFT DRIFTED LEFT INTO RUNWAY LIGHTS, WHICH WERE BURIED IN A SNOW BERM FROM PREVIOUS PLOWING. THE PLT SAID THERE WAS 16 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GND & UP TO 2 INCHES ON THE RWY. HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE HAD LANDED ON THE CENTERLINE, LOST CONTROL IN A SNOWDRIFT, THEN THE ACFT DRIFTED INTO SNOW ADJACENT TO THE RWY.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,471 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 92 in the last 30 days; 5,587 as pilot in command; 270 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,076 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 12, 1989; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 1:50 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 040° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from GEG
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.