Rapid City Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rapid City, South Dakota 57701
Friday, February 9, 1990 11:14 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES RPRTD THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNUSUALLY STEEP, NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, WHILE STILL AT LOW AIRSPEED. ONE WITNESS (AN ATP PLT) RPRTD THE ACFT ATTAINED AN ALT OF APRX 75 TO 100 FT AND APPEARED TO SLOW DOWN AND ENTER A VMC ROLL, THEN IT CRASHED. IMPACT OCCURRED IN AN INVERTED, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, LEFT OF THE RWY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A COUPLING SHAFT (PN 865888-3) HAD FAILED IN THE LEFT ENG & THE LEFT PROP HAD FEATHERED. A METALLURICAL EXAM OF THE COUPLING SHOWED EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED (VMC), WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FATIGUE FAILURE OF A COUPLING SHAFT IN THE #1 ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER IN THAT ENGINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1114
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City RAPID CITY
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57701
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RAPID CITY REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RAP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3202
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1116 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID RAP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3202
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2155
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 579
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41541
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64MD
NTSB Number DEN90FA055
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MITSUBISHI
Aircraft Model MU-2B-60
Aircraft Series Identifier MU-2B-60
Aircraft Serial Number 747SA
Certified Max Gross Weight 11575
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Feb 4 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 4382
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHANCELLOR AIRCRAFT LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 135 E. RENO AVE. SUITE F-7
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89119
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AEROMEDICAL SERVICES INTL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code VTTA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RAP
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1113
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYWG
Destination City MANITOBA,CANADA
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 8701
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --