Mitsubishi MU-2B down

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N635TA Mitsubishi MU-2B Copake New York 12 APR 2025
(Crashed) 6 POB - No Survivors
The Aircraft Was Headed To Columbia County Airport In Hudson New York.

Accident Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 Solitaire N635TA, Saturday 12 April 2025

A Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 Solitaire crashed under unknown circumstances near Copake, New York. <br /> <br />NTSB sending a go-team.
asn.flightsafety.org
 
Always liked the look and sound of the “Rice Rocket “.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
I don't think that the overall accident rate has changed, but after the DC mid-air all eyes are on aviation.
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My conspiracy theory prone friends would text and text me asking why there are so many crashes suddenly. Showed them the overall accident rate by month for the last 10 years and how it has actually gone down slowly but steadily. That shut em up
 
A neurosurgeon and his wife, who was also a surgeon, two of their children and the children’s partners died in the crash in the town of Copake, close to Hudson, N.Y.

Article
 
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I've read that the MU-2 is a challenging airplane to fly due to its high-performance design - it used to have one of the worst fatality records of any turboprop. A family friend died after stalling his MU-2 on takeoff.
 
It doesn’t require a type rating but Subpart N of Part 91 has a whole list of training requirements for a MU-2.
 
You can see the area METARs on the screen grab with the overlaid flight path.

Wx and Flight Path.JPG

There was an AIRMET for Icing with a freezing level between 020/040 as well as an AIRMET for IFR

Here's a screengrab of the RNAV Rwy 3 approach into 1B1 with the flightpath overlaid. It looks like the accident happened following an early missed approach.

Approach and Flight Path.JPG


ADS-B does not indicate whether autopilot was being used, however, some of the flightpath is straight enough to suggest it was at times. Interesting that it seemed established on the approach, but then sidestepped a bit before the FAF at COPAP and never quite recovered before turning out to the southeast. The published missed approach instructions are "climb to 3200 direct JAPUT and hold..." which is straight ahead. Regardless, things seemed pretty stable until the final right turn back toward the west. The groundspeed got down to about 160 knots before the aircraft entered a terminal dive from around 3500' that ended up over 13000' fpm before the track was lost at 2150' (uncorrected). Forecast winds at 3000' at that time were roughly 070 at 25 knots. Based on that, if accurate, you could derive an IAS of roughly 130-135 knots at the time control was lost, which is higher than published clean and configured stall speeds, barring other factors.
 
Flight history seems to indicate aircraft was based at OWD. On the day of the accident, aircraft originated at OWD and flew to HPN. After an hour on ground, aircraft departed HPN for 1B1.

In yesterday’s NTSB briefing, IIC indicated aircraft had declared a missed approach and was being vectored (assume by Albany approach) for another approach. That would explain not following the standard missed approach procedure to JAPUT. ATC issued multiple low-altitude alerts with no response. NTSB (Inman) also indicated that aircraft had changed ownership in the last year and that the aircraft was equipped with modern avionics. Online pics show a full Garmin panel.

Second NTSB briefing scheduled for today.
 
Second NTSB briefing today:

Avionics and “large number of memory cards” recovered. Sent to DC HQ.

Engines will be shipped to Phoenix for full tear-down and examination.

Aircraft extraction to be completed by Tuesday evening with wreckage transported to MA for further inspection.

1B1 AWOS observation 4 minutes prior to accident: 400 AGL cloud ceiling, wind 010/8, temp/dp 37/36 (F). No viz mentioned. ALB reporting higher ceilings and 10 mi viz at about the same time.

Aircraft owner also the pilot. MU2-specific training completed Oct 2024.

Inman noted “a lot of jet fuel in the area” requiring repetitive decontamination for on-site personnel.

NTSB B-roll footage shows debris field to be compact but heavily fragmented.
 
Columbia County airport is about 20 miles from my house. Not always, but normally ALB weather is going to be more similar to Columbia County than PSF. Pittsfield is closer, but over the other side of the ridge of the Berkshires, where both 1B1 and ALB are in the Hudson/Mohawk valley. Saturday at the house, if I remember correctly, it was kinda miserable. Low overcast, on and off rain. Maybe freezing if they were high enough? Guessing. It wasn't below freezing on the ground.

Was scheduled to do IFR training Saturday afternoon, but we called it off Friday evening because the forecasts looked crappy. So this one bugs me a bit because it's close and I was planning on flying around there that day.

1B1 is a nice little airport. Single N/S runway, in a valley only about 200' elevation, with not a whole lot around it, especially north and south. Slowly rising terrain to the east to the Mass border, where you can cross at something like 2500 or so VFR/daytime, more or less. But there are some high spots so I think the min altitude on the IFR chart is about 6100. I think I heard from someone local that NTSB was flying in to investigate this one.
 
AquaLand said:
Second NTSB briefing today:


1B1 AWOS observation 4 minutes prior to accident: 400 AGL cloud ceiling, wind 010/8, temp/dp 37/36 (F). No viz mentioned. ALB reporting higher ceilings and 10 mi viz at about the same time.
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I think you posted while I was editing...none of my comments were aimed at you, or anyone really, just general statements.

That AWOS fits with how it seemed about 20 miles north of the airport, with my added editorial of "no fog at all, on and off light drizzle". No storms here that day. Crash site was on the other side of the airport from me, so no idea what it would be, except that it's in the same valley so probably similar temps.
 
Guy acquired the plane in sept. Wonder what he was flying prior. A lot of plane. Hangar mate has one but spent first 100hours flying with instructor. Continues to fly with him to stay proficient intermittently throughout the year

Doing missed in actual when you don’t really have the systems down solid can be a handful.
 
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