Carthage-Leake County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carthage, Mississippi 39051
Saturday, May 29, 2004 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot stated he over flew the airport prior to landing and noted the wind was directly down runway 17. His approach to runway 17 was good with touchdown occurring on the centerline at 60 knots. Just as he touched down, a gust of wind from 260 degrees blew him into a ravine adjacent to the left side of the runway. A downdraft in the ravine forced the airplane into the ground incurring substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. A METAR weather observation taken 24 minutes after the accident from the Jackson International Airport (JAN) indicates that the wind was variable at 5 knots gusting to 15 knots. The JAN airport is located approximately 39 nautical miles and 223 degrees from the accident airport.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the student pilot to maintain control of the airplane resulting in the airplane departing the runway and impacting with terrain. A factor related to this accident was the student pilot's lack of total flight experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Carthage
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39051
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 324540N
Event Location Longitude 0893148W
Event Location Airport Carthage-Leake County
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 08M
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 454
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID JAN
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16396
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date May 30 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1508
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2484A
NTSB Number MIA04CA091
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0708
Certified Max Gross Weight 1644
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 14 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 1050
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James R. Richardson
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8134 Highway 49 North
Aircraft Owner City Jackson
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39209
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M16
Departure City Raymond
Departure State MS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 08M
Destination City Carthage
Destination State MS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 1:17PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --