- Date
- June 2, 1986, 21:42 local (Jun 3, 1986, 02:42 UTC)
- Place
- Bartlett, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8CCMitsubishi MU-2B-35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19860602024669A
- Case key
- 22168
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
About 6 min after takeoff, at 2138:31 CDT, the plt rprtd level at 9000 ft MSL. At 2140:17, he transmitted that he had trouble & said he could not control or disconnect the autopilot (a/p) which was causing the acft to descend. At 2141:14,he stated he was descending at 6000 ft/min. Another company plt in another acft asked if he could find the breaker, meaning the a/p circuit breaker. At 2141:27, the plt of N8CC replied, 'call you back.' Seconds later, radio & radar contact with N8CC were lost. A search was initiated, but the acft was not fnd until the following morning. An exam revealed the acft impacted in a steep, nose down, inverted attitude while at high speed; much of the wreckage was buried. No preimpact part failure/malfunction was fnd. With the a/p engaged, back pressure on the control column would have caused the a/p to trim nose down. Subsequently, the manufacturer issued a precautionary advisory to all MU-2 owner/operators regarding proper operation of the a/p and the various ways in which it can be disengaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8CC
- Reported as
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 569
- Airframe hours
- 3,293
- Engine
- Airesearch TPE 331, 715 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Martinaire, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Barron Thomas Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 3, 1986 · 42 hours before
- Departed
- AUS · Austin, TX
- Destination
- DFW · D/Fw Airport, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 41
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,268 total · 152 in this make and model · 5,018 as pilot in command · 116 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUS, 35 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.