Zone

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond 1A on Mt Kinpoku: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA8246
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tokyo - Niigata
MSN:
92
YOM:
1984
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew departed Tokyo-Haneda on a training flight to Niigata. He started the descent to Niigata Airport in limited visibility due to poor weather conditions when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Kinpoku located in the center of Sado Island, about 67 km northwest of runway 10 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain after the crew initiated the descent under VFR mode in IMC conditions in preparation of an ILS approach to runway 10 at Niigata Airport.