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| Date: | Saturday 22 January 2000 |
| Time: | 14:32 |
| Type: |  Mitsubishi MU-2B-26A |
| Owner/operator: | BTC Saratoga Inc |
| Registration: | N386TM |
| MSN: | 386SA |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3767 hours |
| Engine model: | Honeywell TPE331-5-525M |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near San Antonio International (SAT/KSAT), Texas -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | San Antonio International Airport, TX (SAT/KSAT) |
| Tucson International Airport, AZ (KTUS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On January 22, 2000, at 1432 central standard time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-26A twin-engine airplane, N386TM, was destroyed when it collided with terrain following a loss of control during the initial takeoff climb from the San Antonio International Airport, San Antonio, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by BTC Saratoga Inc., of Saratoga, California. The two occupants, a private pilot and a commercial pilot, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight was originating at the time of the accident and was destined for the San Jose International Airport, San Jose, California, with an intermediate fuel stop at the Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona.
Witnesses reported that during the airplane's takeoff roll they heard a heard a series of repeated sounds, which they described as similar to a "backfire" or "compressor stall." Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane's right propeller "stopped." One witness reported that as the airplane lifted off the ground, he heard "a loud cracking sound followed by an immediate prop wind down into feather." He continued to watch the airplane, as the gear was retracted and the airplane entered a climb and right turn. Subsequently, the airplane pitched up, entered a "Vmc roll-over," followed by a 360-degree turn, and then impacted the ground. Radar data indicated the airplane took off and climbed on runway heading to a maximum altitude of about 200 feet agl. The airplane than entered a right turn and began to lose altitude. A radar study revealed that the airplane's calibrated airspeed was 97 knots when the last radar return was recorded. According to the flight manual, minimum controllable airspeed (Vmc) was 93 knots. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a near vertical attitude. A post-crash fire erupted, which destroyed all cockpit instruments and switches. Examination of the propellers revealed that neither of the propellers were in the feathered position at the time of impact. Examination of the left engine revealed signatures consistent with operation at the time of impact. Examination of the right engine revealed that the second stage impeller shroud exhibited static witness marks indicating that the engine was not operating at the time of impact. However, rotational scoring was also observed through the entire circumference of the impeller shroud. The static witness marks were on top of the rotational marks. Examination of the right engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The left seat pilot had accumulated a total flight time of about 950 hours of which 16.9 hours were in an MU-2 flight simulator and 4.5 hours were in the accident airplane. Although he had started an MU-2 Pilot-Initial training course, he did not complete the course. The right seat pilot had accumulated a total flight time of about 2,000 hours of which 20.0 hours were in an MU-2 flight simulator and 20.6 hours were in the accident airplane. He had successfully completed an MU-2 Pilot-Initial training course one month prior to the accident.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain the minimum controllable airspeed following a loss of engine power during the initial takeoff climb. Contributing factors to the accident were both pilot's lack of total experience in the make and model of the accident airplane and the loss of right engine power for an undetermined reason.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001212X20356&key=1
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 18-Feb-2012 07:10 | Gwydd | Updated [Source, ] |
| 06-Sep-2013 20:01 | wf | Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 07-Mar-2016 12:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:14 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 25-Apr-2017 09:45 | TB | Updated [Location, Source, ] |
| 12-Dec-2017 18:18 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Oct-2022 12:54 | Captain Adam | Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, Photo, ] |
| 21-Oct-2022 12:55 | Captain Adam | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 27-Apr-2024 17:41 | Nepa | Updated [Location, Operator, ] |
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