Beech 58 accident near Jackson, Mississippi, October 2, 1996
On October 2, 1996 at about 5:12 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N4178S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Mississippi (Jackson International airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane resulting in an in flight collision with the runway. A factor in this accident was the pilot diverted his attention away from flying the airplane to fix his shoe lace.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1996 · about 5:12 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Mississippi · Jackson International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N4178S · registry record · serial TH-652
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was rolling down the runway, had reached rotation speed, rotated, and started climbing. After attaining a positive rate of climb, he selected gear up. The pilot had stated, 'then I felt that my right shoe lace was caught on something.' While the airplane was climbing, he bent down to fix his shoe lace. He estimated that 1-2 seconds had past while fixing his shoe lace. He thought that he had enough back pressure for the plane to climb, but stated, 'maybe I pushed the yoke a little forward with my chest.' When he was getting up from fixing his shoe lace, he noticed that the plane was going down. The airplane hit the runway, then bounced back in the air. While in the air, the pilot tried to get the gear down, but it would not come down. The airplane hit the runway again, and slid down the runway until it came to a stop. The pilot had also stated to the FAA, that he did not have any mechanical problems with the airplane or engines.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,442 hours in all; 2,645 in this make and model; 286 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 3,201 as pilot in command; 518 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,996 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 19, 1996; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-CB40B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JAN at 5:10 pm
- Destination: MEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 8,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:32 pm from JAN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.