# Accident 19980222001569A: Piper PA28235, Jackson, MS, February 22, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 22, 1998, 14:19 local time
- Place: Jackson, MS
- Airport: Hawkins Field Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.3309° N, 90.3308° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3309&lon=-90.3308&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9166W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9166W-2013-08-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-235 (registry code 7102810, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28235
- Reported engine: LYC O540B4B5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 552 total, 100 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98FA053) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980222001569A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DEPARTED UNDER IFR INTO IMC. FAILED HOLD HEADING AND ALITUDE. LOST CONTROL VERTIGO AND SPIRAL DIVE TO IMPACT. (.4)FOLLOWING A TAKEOFF IN LOW CEILINGS, RAIN, AND CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE ASSIGNED HEADING, OR CLIMB TO THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE.  RADAR DATA DEPICTED THE AIRPLANE EXECUTING A MEANDERING FLIGHT PATH, AND HIS RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH AIR TRAFFIC WERE SPORADIC AND INEFFECTUAL.  EVEN THOUGH THE PILOT REPORTED REACHING HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 4,000 FEET, RADAR DATA INDICATED THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE WAS 2,300 FEET.  A PILOT WHO DEPARTED TO SEARCH FOR THE REPORTED ACCIDENT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED CARBURETOR ICING JUST AFTER TAKEOFF.  THE CARBURETOR HEAT VALVE FOR THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS FOUND LOCKED IN AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION IN THE WRECKAGE, AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOW ENGINE POWER AT IMPACT.  DISASSEMBLY OF THE CARBURETOR AIRBOX REVEALED SCRAPE MARKS ON THE INTERIOR OF THE BOX INDICATING THE CARBURETOR HEAT VALVE HAD BEEN FORCED TOWARD THE WARM POSITION BY IMPACT FORCES.  THE SPARK PLUGS EXHIBITED LIGHT SOOTING.  THE PILOT'S FLIGHT RECORDS RECORDED ON THREE HOUR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT AFTER HE HAD OBTAINED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING ABOUT SEVEN YEAR S PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23) INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL98FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98FA053), Feb 22, 1998: Piper PA-28-235 (N9166W), Clinton, MS, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's lack of recent instrument flight experience that led to spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control; and his improper use of carburetor heat that resulted in a loss of engine…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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