Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aberdeen, Mississippi 39730
Monday, March 16, 1992 6:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT APPROXIMATELY 100-FOOT ALTITUDE, AFTER TAKEOFF, WITNESSES HEARD ENGINE SPUTTER AND LOSE POWER. AIRCRAFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO BANK STEEPLY TO THE LEFT AND DESCEND INTO TREES. A POSTCRASH FIRE ERUPTED. THE NO. 3 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. THE FATIGUE ORIGINATED IN GALLING MARKS IN THE BEARING AREA ON THE CRANKSHAFT END. ACCORDING TO LYCOMING ENGINES, GALLING IS CAUSED BY ENGINE OVERSPEED OR OVERBOOST. NO RECORDS OF THESE EVENTS HAVING OCCURRED WERE FOUND. AFTER NO. 3 ROD SEPARATED, IT JAMMED INTO THE ENGINE CASE AND DID NOT HINDER ROTATION OF THE ENGINE. THE PROPELLER WAS FOUND TO HAVE ROTATIONAL DAMAGE, AND BLADE ANGLE AT IMPACT WAS IN THE 2100 RPM RANGE. SEVERAL LARGE TREE LIMBS WERE FOUND CUT BY THE PROPELLER AT THE CRASH SITE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DECISION TO INITIATE A TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT AT A LOW ALTITUDE FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 645
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ABERDEEN
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39730
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 655 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID CBM
Elevation of weather observation facility 214
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 281
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46380
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N16388
NTSB Number MIA92FA099
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7340084
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 124
Airframe Hours 3150
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name S AND S CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1 BOX 297
Aircraft Owner City SHUQUALAK
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39361
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name S AND S CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1 BOX 297
Operator City SHUQUALAK
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 39361
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 645
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 20M
Destination City MACON
Destination State MS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --