Mitsubishi MU-2B-20 accident near Picayune, Mississippi, December 29, 2011
On December 29, 2011 at about 1:00 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-20, registered N800BY, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Picayune, Mississippi (Picayune Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive rate of descent during the landing flare/touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 2011 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Picayune, Mississippi · Picayune Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-20 · all MU-2B-20s on the register
- Registration
- N800BY · registry record · serial 221
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the wind was calm at the time of the accident. The airplane entered the traffic pattern on a left base leg at 120 knots with the landing gear extended and flaps extended to 20 degrees. The pilot turned the airplane onto final approach, and when the runway was assured, extended the flaps to 40 degrees and confirmed the landing gear were down and locked. Upon landing, the airplane suddenly pitched nose down, and the pilot realized there was a discrepancy with the nose landing gear. He applied full thrust reverse, stopped, and secured the airplane on the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear was collapsed, the left main landing gear tire was separated from the wheel, and the wheel assembly was separated from the landing gear. Wrinkles in the fuselage skin near the forward pressure bulkhead were noted on both sides of the airplane. Additionally, the left and right upper and lower wing spars were distorted, and the fuel tanks at the wingtips were dislodged and loose from their mountings, consistent with substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane, but the damage was consistent with a hard landing.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,749 hours in all; 387 in this make and model; 36 in the last 30 days; 6,749 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,996 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 9,920 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE331-1-151A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TPE331-1-151A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northshore Group LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ASD Slidell AL
- Destination: MJD Picayune MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.