Amateur-built Lancair Super ES accident near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, May 16, 2002
On May 16, 2002 at about 9:14 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair Super ES, registered N600MT, was destroyed in an accident near Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Hattiesburg Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during takeoff which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2002 · about 9:14 pm local time
- Place
- Hattiesburg, Mississippi · Hattiesburg Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lancair Super ES
- Registration
- N600MT · registry record · serial ES-051
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the airplane as the pilot conducted touch-and-go landings. On the last take-off, witnesses stated that they heard a popping sound, and they observed the airplane in a steep right turn. Then they heard a series of three rapid pops and the airplane went nose down and impacted the ground in a wooded area and an explosion was heard. Examination of the airplane found it completely destroyed by impact and post-crash fire. The engine was recovered and sent to Teledyne Continental Motors, Inc. for further examination. Examination of the engine found extensive impact and post-crash fire damage. The number 6 exhaust rocker arm was missing, the number 6 head was broken at the exhaust area during impact, tearing off the rocker arm and support boss structure. The magnetos and fuel system components had extensive fire damage not allowing further testing. There was no evidence found during the engine examination that would have contributed to a power loss.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 95 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HBG Hattiesburg MS at 9:00 pm
- Destination: HBG Hattiesburg MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,219 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from HBG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.