What happened
During the approach phase to an airport near Tulsa, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 deviated from its intended flight path. Radar and air traffic control data showed the aircraft drifted approximately 0.2 nautical miles east of the runway centerline. The aircraft then entered a continuous 360-degree left turn at an altitude significantly lower than expected for its distance from the airport. During this maneuver, the pilot informed air traffic control of a control issue and a left engine shutdown. This was the final communication from the aircraft before witnesses observed it spiraling toward the ground.
Post-accident inspection of the wreckage showed the landing gear was extended and flaps were set to 20 degrees. The propeller blades on the left engine were found in the feathered position, and the fuel shutoff valve was closed. The aircraft configuration did not align with the manufacturer's recommended procedures for single-engine approaches, which advise maintaining a clean configuration with flaps at 5 degrees and gear retracted until landing is certain.
Findings
Investigators determined that the aircraft was properly maintained, equipped, and certified. The pilot was also properly rated and qualified, having recently completed specific training for this model. At the time of the crash, the pilot was performing his first solo flight in this specific aircraft type. There was no evidence of pre-existing medical issues or mechanical failures in the aircraft's systems or structure.
Calculations regarding aircraft performance indicated that the Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 remained flyable despite the loss of one engine. Furthermore, weather conditions were clear enough to rule out spatial disorientation as a cause. The investigation concluded that the pilot's failure to properly manage the single-engine inoperative condition resulted in the loss of control. Because the aircraft lacked a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, the specific sequence of pilot inputs and the exact reason for the engine shutdown could not be definitively determined.