Smith FW2C80TD accident near Lucedale, Mississippi, April 27, 1993
On April 27, 1993 at about 4:59 pm local time, a Smith FW2C80TD, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N912WB, was destroyed in an accident near Lucedale, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT IN A MANNER WHICH EXCEEDED DESIGN LIMITATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN INFLIGHT FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF THE WINGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1993 · about 4:59 pm local time
- Place
- Lucedale, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith FW2C80TD, amateur-built
- Registration
- N912WB · no longer on the register · serial 71915
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD AN FAA REG NUMBER ASSIGNED AND DISPLAYED ON THE ACFT. THE ACFT DID NOT HAVE AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTION OR CERTIFICATE AS REQUIRED BY FAA REGULATIONS. THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED WITH A PASSENGER AND AFTER 30 MIN WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A HIGH SPEED LOW PASS DOWN THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE FLT THEN PULLED UP INTO A NEAR VERTICAL CLIMB, AT WHICH TIME AN EXPLOSION OR BACKFIRE WAS HEARD AND A PUFF OF SMOKE APPEARED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DID A WING OVER MANUEVER AND WAS RETURNING TO LEVEL FLIGHT WHEN THE WINGS SEPARATED. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE WING ATTACH POINTS INDICATED ALL FAILURES WERE INDICATIVE OF OVERSTRESS AND ALL FITTINGS HAD DISTORTION DAMAGE. THE ACFT MFG STATED THE DAMAGE TO THE WINGS WAS SIMILAR TO DAMAGE OF WINGS THAT WERE FAILED AT ULTIMATE LOADING OF 6.6 POS G'S IN STATIC TESTING. THE ACFT IS RESTRICTED TO 4.4 POS G'S. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE FAA REG NUMBER WAS CUT FROM THE ACFT BEFORE TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPT ARRIVAL. THE PLT'S FATHER TOLD FAA INSPECTORS THE ACFT WAS AN ULTRALIGHT, DID NOT HAVE FAA REG, AND WAS UNDER THE U S ULTRALIGHT ASSOCIATION EXEMPTION. THE ACFT DID NOT MEET ULTRALIGHT ASSOCIATION EXEMPTION REQUIREMENTS.
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: student
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1993; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from MOB, 23 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.