Wednesday, May 05, 2021

Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 Marquise, N322TA: Fatal accident occurred May 04, 2021 near Hattiesburg Municipal Airport (KHBG), Mississippi

Alex Lemishko, Senior Air Safety Investigator (Field)
National Transportation Safety Board


This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Jackson, Mississippi
Mitsubishi; Dallas, Texas
Honeywell; Phoenix, Arizona 
Hartzell Propeller; Piqua, Ohio

NorthShore Group LLC


Location: Hattiesburg, MS
Accident Number: CEN21FA209
Date & Time: May 4, 2021, 23:05 Local
Registration: N322TA
Aircraft: Mitsubishi MU2B
Injuries: 4 Fatal, 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On May 4, 2021, about 2305 central daylight time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 airplane, N322TA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane collided with a private residence; one occupant was fatally injured, and two other occupants sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.

According to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight departed Wichita Falls Municipal Airport (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, about 2057 and was en route to the Bobby L Chain Municipal Airport (HBG), Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The pilot had filed and activated an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The pilot requested and received clearance to fly the RNAV 13 approach to HBG. The airplane flew to the initial approach fix, performed the procedure turn, and flew a portion of the final approach course. The last ADS-B point was recorded at 2300 about 1.6 miles northwest from the accident site, at an altitude of 1,475 ft mean sea level (msl). An Alert Notification (ALNOT) was issued by air traffic control when the pilot did not provide a cancellation radio call as required after the instrument approach to a non-towered airport. At 2320, law enforcement received a 911 call reporting the accident. There were no radio distress calls recorded from the pilot.



The airplane impacted the front section of an occupied residence about 2.2 miles from the approach end of runway 13. A post impact fire ensued and consumed a majority of the airplane and the residential structure. Cockpit instrumentation was mostly consumed by the post-impact fire. The flaps were found at 20° down, and landing gear was extended at the time of impact.



According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. Documents provided by his MU-2 training facility revealed the pilot completed a flight review in the accident airplane on November 13, 2020, and completed Advisory Circular 91-89 approved MU-2 recurrent training on November 14, 2020. The pilot had purchased the airplane in February 2012. An associate of the pilot reported that the pilot owned a MU-2F model before he acquired the B model. On June 24, 2020, the pilot was issued a second-class medical certificate. On the medical certificate application, the pilot reported having accrued 7,834 total hours.

The airplane was not equipped, and was not required to be equipped, with any type of crashresistant recorder device.

The wreckage was relocated to a secure facility for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Mitsubishi 
Registration: N322TA
Model/Series: MU2B 60 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: IMC 
Condition of Light: NightDark
Observation Facility, Elevation: KHBG,151 ft msl 
Observation Time: 22:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 19°C /18°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 600 ft AGL 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.95 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Wichita Falls, TX 
Destination: Hattiesburg, MS

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 2 Fatal 
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Minor
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 4 Fatal, 2 Minor 
Latitude, Longitude: 31.291031,-89.285544 

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.

Anna Lee Calhoun 
Harper Marie Provenza

Dr. Louis Provenza
January 23, 1954 - May 04, 2021


Anna Lee Calhoun, 23, and her daughter Harper Marie Provenza, 2, of Wichita Falls, passed away on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Rosary will be at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 9th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The funeral mass will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 10th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Jonathan Demma officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home.

The daughter of Donna McNatt and Ronnie Calhoun, Anna was born on September 17, 1997, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. An accomplished volleyball player at Holy Spirit Catholic High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Anna went on to pursue her collegiate education at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, studying Biology where she met her studies with enthusiasm and academic success.  Anna and her precious baby Harper were fixtures on MSU’s campus, whether in the library or even together in class.  Mother and daughter were joined as one. 

Anna was a lover of life, and her joyous spirit was infectious.  It was impossible not to smile and be filled with happiness when around her.  Always up for an adventure, she was constantly excited to be with her amazing group of friends.  They would spend weekends cooking incredible meals, exploring Texas, laughing and enjoying every minute together.  She and her best friend Jason Gribble had a special bond that will last forever. 

Anna had so many great accomplishments, but she would say that her greatest one was her daughter Harper, born on July 6, 2018.  Anna was a devoted mother who spent every moment possible adoring her baby girl and bringing her along for everything.  The two were inseparable.  Harper was a mirror-image of her mother’s joy and a blessing to everyone around her.  She always smiled and laughed, and it was very easy to see that she was the center of attention. 

For Becky and Louis Provenza, and their entire family, having Anna and Harper in their lives was one of their greatest blessings.   

Anna was preceded in death by her father Ronnie Calhoun.

Anna is survived by her mother, Donna McNatt; her stepmother, Cheryl Calhoun; her grandmother, Mimi; and aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family in Alabama.  

Harper is survived by her grandmother, Becky Provenza; her grandmother, Donna McNatt; her great-grandmother, Lois Whitaker; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

For those desiring, memorial contributions may be sent to Midwestern State University.

Services can be live streamed by going to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1501 Ninth Street, Wichita Falls, TX 76301 Livestreaming via Facebook or YouTube.


Dr. Louis Provenza, 67, of Wichita Falls, passed away on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Rosary will be at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 9th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The funeral mass will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 10th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Jonathan Demma officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home.

The son of Louis and Rosalie Provenza, Dr. Provenza was born on January 23, 1954 in Shreveport, Louisiana. He attended Jesuit High School in Shreveport, then graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Tulane University in 1975.  He continued his education at Tulane University through medical school, graduating with an M.D. in 1979 and following with an Internship & Residency in Neurological Surgery, in which he became Board Certified. Throughout his career, Dr. Provenza was a member of numerous professional societies and served on countless committees dedicated to patient care.  He was the recipient of several awards and was the first physician in Louisiana to perform artificial disc implantation.  Above all, his patients were always his priority and his focus.  His dedication to them was paramount. 

While Dr. Provenza’s commitment to his career was significant, his love for his family was his greatest passion.  An avid family man, you could hear Dr. Provenza brag about everyone in his family but himself. The doting brother to three fabulous sisters, he loved to tease them relentlessly and thought they all hung the moon.  He was also a proud father, grandfather (affectionately known to his grandchildren as O-o), and dedicated husband whose greatest joy was his wife Becky. She was the absolute love of his life, and will be for all time. 

When he wasn’t at the hospital or with his family, he could be found in the air flying. Dr. Provenza started flying at a young age with his father and continued the tradition of “The Flying Provenzas” in his large, Italian family.  He often spoke about how beautiful the cloud patterns were during flight and shared his knowledge of aviation excitedly with his grandson Luke. 

With his move to Wichita Falls, Dr. Provenza found a community filled with friendship.  Wonderful neighbors welcomed him and Becky with open arms, and the rest of the community followed suit.  His best friends, Joe Prothro, Diaz Murray and Gene Willingham were often the highlight of conversation and provided him with incredible friendship, through discussions about everything from aviation to the effectiveness of using air horns to scare buzzards out of the yard.  Dr. Provenza was always surrounded by love.

Dr. Provenza was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Rosalie Provenza.

He is survived by Becky Whitten Provenza (wife), Michelle Provenza (daughter), Benjamin Provenza (son), Rebecca Owen (step-daughter), John Suarez (step-son), sisters, Diana Provenza Landry, Andrea Provenza Madden and Anne Provenza Sandefur; grandchildren Luke Owen, Evelyn Suarez, Amelia Owen and Sadie Suarez; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.  Such a gentle man, renowned for his kindness, he will be deeply missed.

For those desiring, memorial contributions may be sent to Friends of Notre Dame, care of Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation (2405 Kell East Blvd., Suite 100, Wichita Falls, TX, 76308). 

Services can be live streamed by going to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1501 Ninth Street, Wichita Falls, TX 76301 Livestreaming via Facebook or YouTube.

   





Dr. Louis Provenza
~

A Shreveport native was killed in a plane crash late Tuesday evening in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Louis Provenza was flying his plane to attend a graduation ceremony for his daughter when something went the plane crashed. 

Hattiesburg police arrived on scene around 11:20 p.m. Upon arrival, officers found four victims, Provenza, 67, Anna Calhoun, 23, Harper Provenza, 2, and Gerry Standley, 55. 

Through the initial investigation, officers were able to identify the victims. Louis, Anna, and Harper were all passengers on the   Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 Marquise. Standley was the owner and resident of the home that was hit in the crash. 

Louis Provenza's life in Shreveport

Louis was born and raised in Shreveport. He attended St. John Berchmans Catholic School for grade school and went on to Jesuit for high school. Louis was a fullback for the Jesuit Flyer football team and was exceptionally talented. 

Louis was not only gifted at football but also at school. 

“You got a good teammate and a good classmate and a good cousin,” said Pat Cordaro, Louis’ cousin. “That's the trifecta when you find something like that.”

Louis was a popular kid for his gentle and kind personality. His uncle, Monsignor Earl Provenza, said, “I know people, I have been a priest for 56 years, and he had that gift. The gift of listening and making you feel important.”

Louis was known for his ability to speak to anyone. He was compassionate for all and could communicate with anyone no matter the age or differences. 

“He was exceptionally good with children. I had a youth camp and he was in charge of the swimming pool and you know how kids get rambunctious in swimming pools. He kept them all calmed down. They all respected him,” said Monsignor Provenza.

Life after Shreveport

In 1972, Louis graduated from Jesuit and began his journey in New Orleans at Tulane University. With aspirations to become a football star diminished with a high school injury he decided he wanted to become a neurosurgeon. 

Louis became a neurosurgeon where he practiced in Slidell and eventually ended up in Wichita Falls, Texas. Louis had a practice at United Reginal Physician Group. 

“We are so very saddened about the loss of Dr. Louis Provenza. He has touched the lives of so many and will be greatly missed. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and the many people of this community he helped heal,” said Patrick Johnston, marketing and communications coordinator, at United Regional.

“My brother loved his family greatly and he was very compassionate to people around him. When I go to visit him at his office the patients were around, they told me how much Doctor Provenza went overboard to help them,'' Louis' sister, Andrea Madden, said.

Louis married Becky Provenza and they had two children. Monsignor Provenza said Louis and Becky’s marriage was, “A marriage made in heaven.”

Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 Marquise

Louis had a true passion for aviation. Louis’ father was a highly decorated WWII pilot and helped instill the passion of flying into Louis. 

“Louis got involved in flying because his dad was an avid aviator,” Cordaro said. “It’s in their bloodlines and they were fearless.”

Two years ago, Louis’ father died, leaving him with the Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 Marquise. 

“He was very much familiar with aviation, and he was very cautious,” said Monsignor Provenza. “It is just one of those mysteries.”

Louis left behind a legacy not just in Wichita Falls, where he served many patients but in Shreveport as well. The quiet and reserved schoolboy went on to leave a mark in the memories of his friends and family. 

“A life that touches others will go on forever,” Madden said.

25 comments:

  1. Very bad weather in that area around that time. Significant radar returns over a huge part of the southeast. I was en route from Orlando to Dallas that evening and we had to stay well south of Louisiana. Could have been a factor. I’m sure the pilot was a great doctor. Neurosurgeon, no less. Might have been prudent to bring another pilot along to help manage the workload or even talk him out of doing something stupid.

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    1. Rain and TS had moved to the south. METAR was 19003KT 10SM OVC008 19/18 A2995. Had to certainly fly an approach but nowhere near minimums. MU2 does require a significant workload but he had the skills and experience. It is such a tragedy.

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  2. Lou was a friend of mine for 25 years. He was cool and calm. He had 1000's of hours in type and was an experienced IFR pilot. Not sure what happened and probably won't ever know for sure. The cigs were 800feet but otherwise should be a pretty routing IFR approach and landing. The tragedy is also that it was his daughter and grandson that were on the plane. Rest in Peace, brother.

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  3. From adsbexchange.com, the last ADSB return from the aircraft was at 2300 feet and 123 knots, pretty normal.

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  4. It’s been years but I do have over 3500 hours in MU2s. 123 knots at 2300’ seems slow to me.

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    1. At that point on the approach yes. Downwind or base on the approach I'd be at flaps 5 160KIAS Final approach fix inbound gear down flaps 20 I'd be at 130 KIAS (autopilot limitation is 125KIAS minimum)

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    2. I should have clarified that was 123 knots ground speed, not airspeed.

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    3. Normal IFR approach would initiate at approximately 125 to 130 depending on turbulence, etc. This aircraft was trying to slow down if you look at the numbers prior to the actual approach. VREF for this approach over the numbers would have been approximately 106 Knots. 123 would not be out of the question for an approach, but it IFR down to 800 feet, at night, I would have flown it at 130. Field in sight reduction of speed is no problem for the MU-2.

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  5. High performance airplane MU2 + late at night (possible fatigue) + bad weather + doctor = high risk management, poor ADM

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  6. good or bad .. i will qualify myself by saying I have flown corporate for 21 years .. the last six yrs in a Cheyenne II .. Approx 12,000 hrs w/many, many hrs giving inst instruction .. so ..here goes .. wind was out of the south at 3 knots .. I would say this .. there was NO radar to "take you by the hand" and vector you within 30 deg. of the final (ILS) .. therefore you're on your own navigating via DME arc to intercept the inbound loc course, or navigate via GPS to the inbound course (can be a killer if you don't push the right buttons .. in the right sequence i.e., the auto-racing team's King Air attempting an ILS to an arpt out east) .. I will say that on a typical IFR flight the approach to the airport without radar assistance to intercept the inbound course "can be" the most vexing, (demanding) mental-wise, considering the whole flight . been there .. done that., all of those 'transitioning from the enroute phase to the approach phase (to the final) are different .. which makes it somewhat vexing (demanding) .. and the pilot can become a bit 'discombobulated' over 'procedures' .. thus the '123 knots'.. and if hand flying, other single pilot demands that might entail .. but still .. not enough info to do much speculating .. we will wait for the (one to three years down the road) report. I suspect the late night event could have been waiting out the wx system to pass .. whish put the neurosurgeon a little bit on the back side of his circadian rythm .. not good when you must really have it all together during this demanding phase ..

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  7. As an addendum to my previous comment(s) .. I was myself, 'discombobulated' when thinking the pilot was attempting an approach into the arpt north of the city .. when he was apparently landing at KHBG ..and had to call the arpt mgr to learn the location of the crash in relation to the arpt .. which turned out to be 2 miles north of KHBG. This was not mentioned in ANY of the news reports .. that I could tell. So forget the comments regarding the ILS .. all else pretty much remains the same. (The Inst. approach, however, was from the northwest)

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  8. This is a horrible tragedy and loss of an amazing fellow physician .. which begs the question of the MU-2. Given it's track record, performance "you need to fly it like a jet" characteristics, high workload and specific type rating, does this airplane require a two pilot specification ? I am not a pilot but it seems one can get behind this aircraft quite quickly with very tight margins for recovery.

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    1. One can get behind any aircraft, it is why we always criticize ourselves and strive to be better every flight. No matter how long you have been flying, you never stop learning.

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    2. This plane has been involved in numerous accidents and many fatalities. It is so economically driven in design it does not even have an accident resistant black recorder box.

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  9. What were the icing conditions? MU-2's had a bad habit of icing up discretely way back when.

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    1. Above poster mentions flying an Cheyenne II, an aircraft with such bad handling characteristics that a pitch stabilization system had to be devised for it.. Flow correctly and within its weight and balance limitations it can be a flown safely. The MU2 is an excellent aircraft but like all aircraft must be flown as it was intended. The sky like the sea is very unforgiving.

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    2. The MU-2 was no more prone to icing than any other aircraft. In fact, it would carry a lot of ice without adverse flight characteristics. How do I know, I was one of the icing test pilots for the aircraft during icing recertification. Most of what you heard are either old wives tales, or the dribble of plaintiff's attorneys trying to make a case against the MU-2.

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  10. Sad overall and a head scratcher considering the full recency and compliance of the pilot with all regs and advisories regarding the MU-2. I suspect either icing buildup that may have reared its ugly face once the flaps were lowered or some unexpected engine failure. Sen. Ihnole's son also crashed one on an IFR approach but it was also his first time flying it solo.

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  11. A real head scratcher. Pilot was current and proficient and it was a good approach until an inexplicable dive. I suspect that icing may have reared its ugly head once the flaps were lowered near the FAF.

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    1. When I went to school ice formed at 32 degrees, but with this new math maybe it now freezes at 66 degrees or did you not check the temps?

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    2. Being that it was just after a storm with tornadic activity, I'm suspecting low level wind shear that put the plane into an unrecoverable stall at such a low altitude. A single engine engine failure on short final would've been nothing for a pilot with 7000 hours with thousand in this type.

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    3. Sorry Ian. See my previous post. This was not an icing accident. Temps were way too high on approach and even if there were icing condition, he was not in the clouds long enough to build any significant icing. Icing was not the issue at all. Still under investigation.

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  12. That would be daughter and grand daughter..... ;)

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  13. None of the information in this report indicates (a) that Anna is the daughter of the pilot or (b) that Anna's daughter Harper is the grandchild of the pilot.

    Instead, the information herein indicates (a) that Anna's father was Mr. Calhoun and (b) that Harper was the granddaughter of Becky Provenza (the pilot's second wife?).
    (Harper's father is not mentioned, so perhaps he was not part of her life.)

    A comment by a purported friend of the pilot said that Harper was the pilot's grandson--instead of granddaughter.

    The information confuses me, but whatever the actual relationships are, they seem very close and loving. I imagine that this final trip, which was so close to a normal landing, was a happy family trip, and that there was no suffering at the end.

    I send my deepest condolences to all of these beautiful people and their families and friends. I do not know any of them, but my heart is inexplicably heavy with sorrow and loss.

    --d4a

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