Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rose Hill, Mississippi 39364
Tuesady, January 10, 1989 19:12 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING AN INSTRUMENT ARRIVAL AT NIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY RECEIVING THE ILS SIGNAL. HE ABANDONED THE APCH & FINALLY HAD TO USE HIS FLASHLIGHT TO FLY THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE ACFT CRASHED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN POOR WX CONDS AT NIGHT. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE MASTER SW WAS TURNED ON & THE FUEL PUMPS, RADIOS & ELECTRICALLY POWERED FLT & NAV INSTRUMENTS OPERATED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE AIRPORT ILS SYS WAS FLT TESTED BY THE FAA & WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. A CHECK OF THE INTACT FUEL SYS REVEALED THERE WAS TWO QUARTS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK & 9 QUARTS IN THE LEFT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. ALSO, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE INJECTOR LINES TO THE CYLINDERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AND FUEL STARVATION FROM IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: NIGHT AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1912
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ROSE HILL
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39364
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1851 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID MEI
Elevation of weather observation facility 297
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 122
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38315
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9378N
NTSB Number MIA89LA067
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-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R35087
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Jun 13 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 1254
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SEXTON JANITORIAL SYSTEMS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 6 BOX 142
Aircraft Owner City GASTONIA
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28052
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SEXTON, CHARLES W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3138 IMPERIAL DR.
Operator City GASTONIA
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28054
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 No
Departure Airport Code OA6
Departure City GASTONIA
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MEI
Destination City MERIDIAN
Destination State MS
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 --