# NTSB CEN22LA428: Beech C90A, N342ER, Tupelo, MS, September 3, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 3, 2022, 10:21 local (15:21 UTC)
- Place: Tupelo, MS
- Coordinates: 34.26454, -88.71475 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2645&lon=-88.7147&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Jackson Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105984
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA428
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105984/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105984
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA428

## Probable cause

The uncertificated pilot’s criminal act of stealing the airplane and later performing an off-airport landing that resulted in an impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech C90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md?model=1152911), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md)
- [Intentional act: stolen/unauthorized](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051020): Personnel issues › Miscellaneous · Other (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech C90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051020/cases.md?model=1152911), [All aircraft, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Prior to flight: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350); cases with it: [Beech C90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md?model=1152911), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech C90A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md?model=1152911), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech C90A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1152911), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The uncertificated pilot stole the accident airplane with the intent of crashing it into a department store located 2 miles southeast of the airport. However, he continued to fly the airplane in the area for several hours until he performed an off-airport landing in a field 32 miles northwest of the departure airport that resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N342ER](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N342ER), registered now, S/N LJ-1156, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH C90A
- Registry model: [Beech C90A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c90a) (registry code 1152911) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: LJ-1156
- Year built: 1987
- Engines: P&W CANADA PT6A-60A 550 horsepower turbo prop; P&W CANADA PT6A-60A 550 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operator: Pilot
- Registered owner: Southeast Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: TUP, Tupelo, MA
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 29; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; flight hours: 31 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observed at: TUP, 32 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20220903021559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220903021559A), Sep 3, 2022: Beech C90A, Tupelo, MS, Substantial damage. Subject is an employee of [privacy data omitted]in Tupelo, MS. Took without authorization [privacy data omitted] from the airport (somervill TN.). Just after…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105984. 573 KB in all.

- Memorandum of record (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14973655&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20of%20Record-Rel.pdf
- Photo log (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 511 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14973554&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Log-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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