- Date
- February 28, 1989, 11:03 local (19:03 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N701DMMitsubishi MU-2B-20F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 13, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11530
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Pilot incapacitation for an unknown reason.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The purpose of the flt was to provide airborne intercept training for the U.S. Navy. The mission had just been completed& the accident acft, FNT701, & another acft, FNT492, were returning home when the accident occurred. Radar data showed FNT701 was at 22,700 ft when it descended slightly to 22,500 ft. FNT701 remained at this alt for aprx 2 mins 37 secs, then began a descent which resulted in impact with the ocean. This final descent rate initially was about 5,000 fpm & increased to 19,000 fpm. No distress calls were made; however, two transmissions were recorded which totaled aprx 30 secs. There was no voice communication during these transmissions, only an open mike & the sound of prop(s). During the 1st transmission, the word 'oh' could be heard. FNT492 observed FNT701 descend below the clouds & did not detect any distress signals. Little wreckage was recovered during search & rescue operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N701DM
- Reported as
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 149
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331-1-151, 705 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Flight Int'L Of Floria, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · November 3, 1988 · 138 hours before
- Departed
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,262 total · 1,010 in this make and model · 6,291 as pilot in command · 162 in the last 90 days · 82 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F