Stennis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520
Sunday, March 24, 1991 14:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BAY ST. LOUIS
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39520
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STENNIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3R6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 23
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID MCB
Elevation of weather observation facility 41
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 411
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43697
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59BH
NTSB Number MIA91LA108
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GLASSAIR
Aircraft Model SH-2TD
Aircraft Series Identifier SH-2TD
Aircraft Serial Number 144
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 597
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HERRON, KING D
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2991 CAMELLIA DR.
Aircraft Owner City SLIDELL
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70458
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HERRON, KING D
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2991 CAMELLIA DR.
Operator City SLIDELL
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70458
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1429
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PCU
Destination City PICAYUNE
Destination State MS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 8500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --