# NTSB MIA03LA014: Pilatus PC-12/45, N990PT, Foxworth, MS, November 10, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 10, 2002, 10:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: Foxworth, MS - Coordinates: 31.294721, -89.987777 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.2947&lon=-89.9878&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56033 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA03LA014 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56033/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA014 ## Probable cause The pilots failure to properly recover from a stalled/mush/high sink rate condition during an approach and attempted aborted landing into a gusting crosswind, resulting in a hard touchdown, bounced landing, loss of directional control and in-flight collision with adjacent brush and trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - aborted - weather condition - crosswind - weather condition - gusts - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command - stall/mush - encountered, pilot in command - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - high vegetation ## Analysis According to the pilot, landing at the airstrip requires a steeper approach than standard. During approach to the strip's runway 27, he encountered a wind gust that caused a rapid descent and stick shaker activation. The aircraft sustained a hard, bounced landing, and the pilot's go-around attempt resulted in a loss of control during the bounce that resulted in a landing off the right side of the runway, into brush and trees. The pilot and five passengers were not injured, but the aircraft received substantial damage to the right wing. ## Factual narrative On November 10, 2002, about 1015 central standard time, a Pilatus PC-12/45, N990PT, registered to Taylor Energy Co., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting a landing in the vicinity of Foxworth, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage, and the commercial- rated pilot and five passengers were not injured. The flight departed McComb, Mississippi, about 20 minutes before the accident. According to the pilot, he was attempting a landing at a private airstrip named Circle Bar Ranch. Prior to attempting landing on the strip's runway 27, he obtained surface weather and winds from the closest reporting station, McComb, Mississippi. At 0930, the reported ceiling at McComb was 2,000 feet broken clouds with winds from 210 degrees at 12, gusting to 18 knots. The pilot stated he had landed at the airstrip numerous times, and had observed the runway windsock prior to the accident. He was carrying 5 to 10 knots extra approach speed, but when the aircraft was about 30 feet above the runway, the aircraft encountered a strong gust or wind shear that caused the aircraft to descend rapidly and the cockpit stick shaker to activate. He applied power to attempt a go-around, but a hard touchdown resulted, causing a bounced landing, a roll to the right, and a loss of directional control off the right side of the runway. The aircraft collided with trees and brush adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported that no malfunctions of the aircraft during the approach occurred. According to an FAA inspector, the runway is 40 feet wide by 2,400 feet long, and the windsock is located at the departure end of runway 27. He noted that the approach end of runway 27 actually begins inside a cut out area of the tree line and a standard glide path brings the aircraft too close to the tree tops. The pilot stated, "The approach needed to land is steeper than most public airports due to the trees." The aircraft sustained crushing of the right wing outer panel and spar extension about 3 to 4 feet inboard of the right wingtip. No convective activity was reported at either McComb or Hattiesburg's closest (to the time of the accident) reported weather reports that might have caused wind gust-front activity. The winds reported by McComb, (29 miles west of the airstrip) were from 220 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 23 knots. The winds reported by Hattiesburg, (31 miles east-northeast of the airstrip) were from 210 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 22 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: N990PT (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Pilatus PC-12/45 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 304 - Airframe hours: 910.4 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-67B 1600 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Taylor Energy Co. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 24, 2002, 85.9 hours before - Departed: MCB, McComb, MS - Destination: Foxworth, MS - Airport: Circle Bar Ranch, runway 27, 2,400 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 15, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,592 total, 211 in this make and model, 990 as pilot in command, 65 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 12 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,200 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: HBG, 28 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 20021110030719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021110030719A), Nov 10, 2002: Pilats PC1245, Columbia, MS, Minor damage. (-23) Aircraft was landing heading 270. At 30FT AGL aircraft dropped unexpectedly approximately 10-15. Aircraft hit hard on runway and veered hard right.… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.