What happened
During the takeoff roll, observers noted sounds resembling a compressor stall or backfire. Witnesses also observed the right propeller stop rotating. As the Mitsubishi MU-2 became airborne and the landing gear was retracted, the aircraft entered a climb and a right turn. During this phase, the aircraft pitched up and entered a Vmc roll-over, completing a 360-degree rotation before striking the ground. Radar tracking confirmed the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of approximately 200 feet AGL before descending. At the time of the final radar contact, the aircraft's airspeed was recorded at 97 knots, which was just above the minimum controllable airspeed of 93 knots.
The impact occurred in a near-vertical attitude, resulting in a post-crash fire that destroyed the cockpit instrumentation. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported in the source text, though the aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage provided details regarding the engine states at the time of the accident. While the left engine showed evidence of being operational during impact, the right engine showed signs of being non-operational. Specifically, the second-stage impeller shroud on the right engine displayed static witness marks over rotational scoring, indicating the engine had ceased functioning prior to the impact. Although no mechanical defects were found that would have prevented the right engine from working normally, the propeller was not in the feathered position upon impact. The pilot in the left seat had limited experience in this specific aircraft type, with only 4.5 hours of flight time in the Mitsubishi MU-2.