- Date
- May 7, 1991, 05:10 local (10:10 UTC)
- Place
- Kenefic, OK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N106MAMitsubishi MU-2B-20UNREGCessna 310C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910507014331A
- Case key
- 23257
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
Improper planning/decision by the pilots of both aircraft, and the mitsubishi pilot's misjudgment of his position, while attempting to fly formation at night with an aircraft that did not have all navigation lights operative. Factors related to the accident were: both pilot's lack of training in the type of operation, darkness, inoperative navitgation (tail) light on the Cessna 310, and the lack of visual perception that would have been available to the mitsubishi pilot.
Improper planning/decision by the pilots of both aircraft, and the mitsubishi pilot's misjudgment of his position, while attempting to fly formation at night with an aircraft that did not have all navigation lights operative. Factors related to the accident were: both pilot's lack of training in the type of operation, darkness, inoperative navigation (tail) light on the Cessna 310, and the lack of visual perception that would have been available to the mitsubishi pilot.
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 pilots of mitsubishi MU-2, N106MA, & Cessna 310 with no registration number elected to fly in formation at night, though neither pilot had formal training in formation flying nor experience in night formation. They joined up in flight & the MU-2 pilot was flying on the wing of the Cessna 310. The MU-2 pilot communicated that he was going to change positions from the right side to the left side of the 310C. The Cessna 310 pilot & his passenger lost sight of the MU-2 when it dropped back to a position in the rear of the Cessna 310. Soon thereafter, the 2 aircraft collided & the MU-2 went out of control & crashed. The right horizontal stabilizer was torn from the Cessna 310 & the 310'S empennage, right wing & props were damaged, but it was landed without injury to its occupants. An investigation revealed the tail light of the Cessna 310 was inoperative.
The pilots of mitsubishi MU-2, N106MA, & a Cessna 310 with no registration number elected to fly in formation at night, though neither pilot had formal training in formation flying nor experience in night formation. They joined up in flight & the MU-2 pilot was flying on the wing of the Cessna 310. The MU-2 pilot communicated that he was going to change positions from the right side to the left side of the 310C. The Cessna 310 pilot & his passenger lost sight of the MU-2 when it dropped back to a position in the rear of the Cessna 310. Soon thereafter, the 2 aircraft collided & the MU-2 went out of control & crashed. The right horizontal stabilizer was torn from the Cessna 310 & the 310'S empennage, right wing & props were damaged, but it was landed without injury to its occupants. An investigation revealed the tail light of the Cessna 310 was inoperative.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N106MA
- Reported as
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 184
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331, 665 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Corporate Aviation Services
- Registered owner
- Corporate Aviation Services
- Departed
- TUL · Tulsa, OK
- Destination
- DAL · Dallas, TX
- Airport
- K49 · Texoma
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.
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Cessna 310C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 35949
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-D, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mark O'Connor
- Registered owner
- Mark O'Connor
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 3FT · Bristow, OK
- Destination
- DAL · Dallas, TX
- Airport
- K49 · Texoma, runway 17, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N106MA
- Age
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 3,850 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 312 in the last 90 days · 133 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft 2
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,250 total · 375 in this make and model · 1,150 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N106MA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.