A Mitsubishi MU-2 crashed yesterday afternoon during approach to landing at Lorain County Regional airport in Elyria, Ohio. All four occupants of the MU-2 were killed in the accident. This is the first fatal MU-2 accident since the FAA
issued new special FARs governing MU-2 pilot training. There has been only one nonfatal accident involving an MU-2 since the SFAR took effect two years ago. Weather conditions at the time of yesterday’s accident were two miles visibility, mist, 500-foot overcast, temperature -1 deg C, dew point -3 deg C. The accident airplane was an MU-2B-60 registered to Mitts, of Gainesville, Fla., and it had departed Gainesville about 2.5 hours before the accident. The NTSB is investigating and has not yet released any information about the accident. In a statement, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America’s aircraft product support division said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the pilot and passengers. We will have more to say when it is appropriate.”