Beech A23-24 accident near Laurel, Mississippi, May 29, 1993
On May 29, 1993 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Beech A23-24, registered N5783V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurel, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A RUPTURED CENTER BELLOWS SEAL IN THE FUEL SERVO AND/OR A PLUGGED FUEL INJECTOR DUE TO CONTAMINATION (RUST) FROM THE FUEL SERVO. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND PEOPLE AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1993 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23-24 · all A23-24s on the register
- Registration
- N5783V · no longer on the register · serial MA 42
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ON A GOLF COURSE, BUT INTENTIONALLY LANDED IN TREES TO AVOID GOLFERS ON THE COURSE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SERVO CENTER BELLOWS SEAL WAS RUPTURED, WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A RICH MIXTURE. ALSO, THE FUEL SERVO UNIT WAS CONTAMINATED WITH RUST MATERIAL, AND ONE FUEL INJECTOR WAS PLUGGED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,098 hours in all; 315 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command; 85 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,517 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1992; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LUL at 4:15 pm
- Destination: LUL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:14 pm from PIB, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.