Vicksburg Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180
Friday, May 7, 1999 22:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

At 2215, the pilot and his three passengers arrive at the airport and board the airplane. A witness stated that he waved at the airplane as it took off. According to the police report, a few minutes after takeoff, the witness at the airport received a telephone call that reported a downed airplane near Warrenton Lane. Reportedly, this information was not relayed to the local emergency services. The following morning friends of the pilot and passengers began inquiring at the about the location of their friends. Airport personnel contacted the local police and the airplane was found about 1.1 miles off the departure end of runway 01, in a heavily wooded area. Examination of the wreckage found that the airplane had impacted the ground in a 55-degree nose down attitude after striking a tree with the left wing. The airplane came to rest upright on a heading of 090 degrees. No mechanical problems were discovered during the examination of the wreckage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to obtain and maintain flying speed that resulted in an inadvertent stall, and the collision with trees. A factor is the dark night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City VICKSBURG
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39180
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VICKSBURG MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VKS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 106
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID TVR
Elevation of weather observation facility 86
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 950
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1360
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 7 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5900P
NTSB Number ATL99FA081
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-180
Aircraft Serial Number 24-985
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 1744
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MATTHEW C. STRICKLAND
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 1436
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBIA
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71418
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code VKS
Departure City
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 2230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2F8
Destination City BASTROP
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --