Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Panola County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Byhalia, Mississippi 38611
Saturday, September 8, 2001 15:54 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The Piper PA-32R-301, experienced an in-flight break-up while maneuvering near a thunderstorm in Byhalia, Mississippi. Examination of radar data revealed that between 15:42:02 and 15:53:01 the airplane made about seven altitude, airspeed and heading changes. The most significant excursion occurred between 15:52:43 and 15:53:01. Within this 18 second time frame, the airplane descended from 7,700 feet AGL to 3,900 feet AGL and slowed to 41 knots airspeed. According to witnesses, when they observed the airplane it was in level flight below the clouds. They said that as they observed the airplane they saw the left wing separate and strike the tail section. The airplane's main fuselage came to rest less then a half mile from their location in a bean field with debris falling and nearly striking the witnesses. The witnesses stated that there was lightning to the north and that the weather at their location was windy but there was no rain or thunderstorms in their area at the time of the accident. A toxicology examination of the pilot and passenger found Benzoylecgonine and Cocaine in their Liver and kidney's.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper evaluation of weather conditions which lead to an inflight encounter with turbulent weather resulting in an in flight break up of the airframe, and subsequent uncontrolled descent into terrain. A factor was the pilot's drug impairment.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/8/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1554 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Byhalia |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38611 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 344701N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0894531W |
| Event Location Airport | Panola County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 0M6 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 40 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 35 |
| Airport Elevation | 219 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MEM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 332 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 40 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2346 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12558 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 8 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1800 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 16 2003 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Jackson, MS FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8398Z |
| NTSB Number | ATL01FA105 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32R-301 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32R-8113079 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 14 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 65 |
| Airframe Hours | 5996 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Midwest Corporate Air |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 11753 Southwest Hwy |
| Aircraft Owner City | Palos Heights |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60463 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Mark D. Valentino |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 11753 Southwest Hwy |
| Operator City | Palos Heights |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 60463 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | 0M6 |
| Departure City | Batesville |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1540 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LOT |
| Destination City | Romeoville |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2002 2:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 010 |
| Runway Length | 4800 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |