Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tupelo, Mississippi 38801
Thursday, October 20, 1988 20:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE OPERATOR HAD APPLIED FOR AN ON-DEMAND/AIR TAXI CERT, BUT HAD NOT OBTAINED APPROVAL. AFTER LVL-OFF ON A FLT TO CARRY CANCELED CHECKS, THE PLT ELECTED TO USE THE REMAINING FUEL FM THE INBD TANKS. HE STATED THAT SOON THEREAFTER, THE LEFT ENG BGN RUNNING ROUGH, SO HE SELECTED THE OTBD MAIN 'ON THE LEFT SIDE WITH THE BOOST PUMP ON AND NOTHING HAPPENED.' HESAID HE THEN PSND THE L FUEL SELECTOR TO THE INBD TANK & NORMAL ENG OPN RETURNED, MOMENTARILY. AN IDENTICAL SCENARIO OCCURRED ON THE RGT SIDE. AFTER A DUAL PWR LOSS, THE PLT TRIED TO RTRN BACK TO THE DEP ARPT, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE LNDD IN A FIELD, BUT THE ACFT HIT TREES BEFORE STOPPING. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE INBD TANKS WERE EMPTY, BUT THE OTBD TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL. THE PSN OF THE FUEL SELECTORS (WHEN THE ENGS LOST POWER) WAS NOT DETERMINED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. THE FUEL SELECTOR PANEL WAS ON THE FLOOR BTN THE PLT & COPLT SEATS. DUE TO RE-UPHOLSTER-ING OF THE SEATS, THE PLT COULD NOT SEE THE PANEL UNLESS HE PULLED THE SEAT CUSHIONS APART.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TUPELO
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38801
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2022 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID TUP
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 100
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1701
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 20 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37880
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6877Y
NTSB Number MIA89LA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-4224
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 3293
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name D. BANNERMAN & CO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11200 HIGH POINT COVE
Aircraft Owner City OLIVE BRANCH
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38654
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BANNERMAN, BEMP
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11200 HIGH POINT AVE.
Operator City OLIVE BRANCH
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38654
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TUP
Departure City TUPELO
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 2020
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MEM
Destination City MEMPHIS
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --