# Accident 19980224001789A: Piper PA32300, Holly Springs, MS, February 24, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 24, 1998, 07:15 local time
- Place: Holly Springs, MS
- Airport: Holly Springs-Marshall County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8044° N, 89.5211° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HOLLY SPRINGS-MARSHALL COUNTY (M41), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8044&lon=-89.5211&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8SX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8SX-2017-12-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 367 total, 149 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA085) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980224001789A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 24, 1998, ABOUT 0715 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME A PIPER PA-32-300, N8SX, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FROM HOLLY SPRINGS, MARSHALL COUNTY AIRPORT, HOLLY SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PRIVATE RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE FLEW N8SX TO HOLLY SPRINGS.MARSHALL COUNTY AIRPORT TO VISIT HIS FATHER AND BROTHER FOR A FEW DAY. HE ARRIVED LATE ON THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY 18, FOUND THE FBO CLOSED FOR THE DAY, SO HE PARKED AND SECURED HIS AIRPLANE ON THEIR RAMP. HE RETURNED THE NEXT DAY, REQUESTED AND WATCHED AS N8SXS TIP TANKS AND RIGHT MAIN TANK WERE FILLED, TAKING ON A TOTAL OF 50.3 GALLONS. HE HAD RESEALED THE LEFT MAIN FUEL CELL AND WANTED THAT TANK DRY TO CURE THE SEALANT. ON FEBRUARY 23, HE HAD LEFT MAIN TANK FUELED WITH 24.6 GALLONS IN PREPARATION FOR HIS TRIP HOME EARLY THE NEXT MORNING. COPIES OF FUELING SLIPS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT UNDER OTHER PERTINENT FORMS AND REPORTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER    ROTATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON SODE BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY. BUT HIS MOMENTUM CARRIED HIM BEYOND THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT WHERE HE ENCOUNTERED A TWO FOOT GULLEY. AN OBSERVER AT THE WRECKAGE SITE STATED THE COCKPIT FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TIP TANK DETENT. THE PILOTS STATEMENT CONFIRMS LEFT TIP TANK IS THE POSITION HE HAD SELECTED. THE LEFT TIP TANK WAS NOT COMPROMISED AND CONTAINED ABOUT A CUP OF FUEL. THERE WERE NO FUEL STAINS UNDER THE WINGS, OR ON THE RAMP WHERE THE AIRPLANE WAS PREVIOUSLY PARKED. THE FBO REPORTS THERE HAVE BEEN NO PREVIOUS REPORTS OF FUEL THEFT FROM AIRCRAFT. THE FBO STATEMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT UNDER TRANSCRIPTS OF TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS PERTINENT TO THE INVESTIGATION. (-23) AFTER AIRCRAFT LIFTED FROM GROUNG AT TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CRASH AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

## 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 MIA98LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA085), Feb 24, 1998: Piper PA-32-300 (N8SX), Holly Springs, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: a total loss of power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's lack of adequate preflight planning and preparation and his failure to adequately refuel his airplane.

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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