Mitsubishi MU2J accident near Patterson, Louisiana, April 15, 1985
On April 15, 1985 at about 2:55 am local time, a Mitsubishi MU2J, registered N808W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Patterson, Louisiana (Patterson airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1985 · about 2:55 am local time
- Place
- Patterson, Louisiana · Patterson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mitsubishi MU2J · all MU2Js on the register
- Registration
- N808W · registry record · serial 609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON VISUAL FINAL APCH TO THE ARPT AT NIGHT THE ACFT ENTERED GROUND FOG. REFLECTION OF THE LANDING LIGHTS IN THE FOG WAS DISTRACTING. THE ACFT LANDED IN THE ADJACENT SEAPLANE LANDING AREA INSTEAD OF ON THE HARD SURFACE RWY. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE APRT DISCLOSED DIFFERENCIATION BTW THE COLORED LIGHTS OF THE WATERWAY AND THE WHITE LIGHTS ON THE RWY WAS ONLY EFFECTIVE WHEN BOTH SETS OF LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE, A CONDITION WHICH IS LESS LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN IT IS MOST NEEDED; I.E. IN CONDITIONS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY OR AT LOWER ALTITUDES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED THE WATERWAY LIGHTS WERE BRIGHTER; THE INTENSITY OF THE RWY LIGHTS COULD NOT BE CHANGED BY RADIO.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,070 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1985; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,800 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-6-251M (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T86 Houston TX at 2:05 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.