Accident Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 N808W, Sunday 14 April 1985
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Date:Sunday 14 April 1985
Time:20:55 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic MU2 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Mitsubishi MU-2B-35
Owner/operator:Commander Air Service
Registration: N808W
MSN: 609
Year of manufacture:1973
Total airframe hrs:4300 hours
Engine model:GARRETT TPE331-6-251M
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Patterson, LA -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:HOUSTON (T86)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
ON VISUAL FINAL APCH TO THE ARPT AT NIGHT THE ACFT ENTERED GROUND FOG. REFLECTION OF THE LANDING LIGHTS IN THE FOG WAS DISTRACTING. THE ACFT LANDED IN THE ADJACENT SEAPLANE LANDING AREA INSTEAD OF ON THE HARD SURFACE RWY. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE APRT DISCLOSED DIFFERENCIATION BTW THE COLORED LIGHTS OF THE WATERWAY AND THE WHITE LIGHTS ON THE RWY WAS ONLY EFFECTIVE WHEN BOTH SETS OF LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE, A CONDITION WHICH IS LESS LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN IT IS MOST NEEDED; I.E. IN CONDITIONS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY OR AT LOWER ALTITUDES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED THE WATERWAY LIGHTS WERE BRIGHTER; THE INTENSITY OF THE RWY LIGHTS COULD NOT BE CHANGED BY RADIO.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: FTW85LA183
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB FTW85LA183

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
21-Dec-2016 19:26 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]
13-Apr-2025 17:44 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ]

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