Amateur-built SH-2TD accident near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, March 24, 1991
On March 24, 1991 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SH-2TD, registered N59BH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi (Stennis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF POWER DUE TO VAPOR LOCK OF THE FUEL SYSTEM ON TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER DECISION OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1991 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bay St. Louis, Mississippi · Stennis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SH-2TD
- Registration
- N59BH · no longer on the register · serial 144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH AN ERRATIC AND DECLINING FUEL PRESSURE. THE ENGINE WAS HOT FROM A PREVIOUS FLIGHT AND WAS USING AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND SURGING AFTER LIFTOFF AND THE PILOT REDUCED THROTTLE AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING 500 FT OF RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,465 hours in all; 613 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,273 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 597 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1991; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PCU Picayune MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:55 pm from MCB, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.