N800BY

Substantial
None

MITSUBISHI MU-2B-20S/N: 221

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, December 29, 2011
NTSB Number
ERA12CA128
Location
Picayune, MS
Event ID
20111230X04048
Coordinates
30.487222, -89.651107
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
3
Total Aboard
3

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's excessive rate of descent during the landing flare/touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N800BY
Make
MITSUBISHI
Serial Number
221
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Year Built
1972
Model / ICAO
MU-2B-20MU2
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Multi Engine
No. of Engines
2

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
NONE
Status
Deregistered
City
XXX
State / Zip Code
OK 73125
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, the wind was calm at the time of the accident. He entered the traffic pattern on a left base leg at 120 knots with the landing gear extended and flaps extended 20 degrees. He turned onto final approach to runway 36, and when the runway was assured, extended the flaps to 40 degrees and confirmed the landing gears were down and locked. Upon landing, the airplane suddenly pitched nose down and he realized there was a discrepancy with the nose landing gear. He applied full thrust reverse, stopped, and secured the airplane on the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the nose landing gear was collapsed, the left main landing gear tire was separated from the wheel, and the wheel assembly was separated from the landing gear. Wrinkles in the fuselage skin near the forward pressure bulkhead were noted on both sides of the airplane. Additionally, the left and right upper and lower wing spars were distorted, and the fuel tanks at the wingtips were dislodged and loose from their mountings consistent with substantial damage. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that he observed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane before the hard landing.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA12CA128