Embraer EMB 120 accident near Columbus, Mississippi, December 10, 1987
On December 10, 1987 at about 5:30 am local time, a Embraer EMB 120, registered N232AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Mississippi (Golden Triangle Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- December 10, 1987 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Mississippi · Golden Triangle Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB 120 · all EMB 120s on the register
- Registration
- N232AS · registry record · serial 120-036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED GEAR UP WHILE ON A TRAINING FLIGHT, THE CREW STATED THAT THEY HAD COMPLETED 2 HOURS OF TRAINING WHEN THE FIRST OFFICER REQUESTED A SINGLE ENGINE NO FLAP APPROACH DEMONSTRATION. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT DURING THIS DEMONSTRATION THEY NEGLECTED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR AND TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 18 AND SLID TO A STOP.
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: 5,200 hours in all; 133 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,486 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 187 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,353 lb
- Seats: 30
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW-115 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTR Columbus MS at 5:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 am from TCL, 50 miles away
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.