- Date
- March 24, 1991, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bay St. Louis, MS
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N59BHGlassair SH-2TD
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910324007479A
- Case key
- 32839
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The loss of power due to vapor lock of the fuel system on takeoff. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the improper decision of the pilot-in-command to attempt to take off with known deficiencies in the airplane.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot-in-command attempted a takeoff with an erratic and declining fuel pressure. The engine was hot from a previous flight and was using automotive fuel. The engine began running rough and surging after liftoff and the pilot reduced throttle and attempted to land on the remaining 500 ft of runway. The airplane overran the end of the runway and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59BH
- Reported as
- Glassair SH-2TD
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 144
- Airframe hours
- 597
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Herron, King D
- Registered owner
- Herron, King D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 1991 · 4 hours before
- Destination
- PCU · Picayune, MS
- Airport
- 3R6 · Stennis, runway 35, 8,500 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,465 total · 613 in this make and model · 2,273 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- MCB, 31 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.