Beech F50 accident near Picayune, Mississippi, January 17, 1982
On January 17, 1982 at about 11:39 am local time, a Beech F50, registered N654T, was destroyed in an accident near Picayune, Mississippi (Picayune-Pearl River Cnty airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1982 · about 11:39 am local time
- Place
- Picayune, Mississippi · Picayune-Pearl River Cnty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F50
- Registration
- N654T · registry record · serial FH-84
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF DURING DARKNESS WITH A SINGLE-ENGINE PILOT IN THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) POSITION AND A MULTI-ENGINE INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN THE COPILOT (CP) POSITION. THE PIC HAD A FULL SET OF CONTROLS (WHEN THE YOKE WAS ON HIS SIDE); HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO RUDDER PEDALS FOR THE CP. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLANE CRASHED IN A NOSE LOW, 90 DEG LEFT BANK, ATTITUDE. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PROPELLERS SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE OUT OF PITCH DURING TAKEOFF. THE LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND IN THE EXTENDED POSITION. THE YOKE WAS FOUND ON THE CP SIDE. THE LEFT PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT AFT AND 2 OF THE BLADES WERE FOUND IN THE NORMAL HIGH PITCH POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED 6 OF 6 CYLINDERS HAD LOW COMPRESSION. THE SUPERCHARGER WAS WORN, THE IMPELLER PARTIALLY DISINTEGRATED FROM RUBBING ON ITS HOUSING, AND THE IMPELLER DRIVE SHAFT WAS BENT AND HAD BEEN OVERHEATED. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE PIC WAS UNDER PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE ITINERARY.
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: 755 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,866 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GSO-480-B1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PCU Picayune MS at 5:39 am
- Destination: Jamaica OF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL82FA035.