# Accident 19981114039919A: Piper PA32R301, Olive Branch, MS, November 14, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 14, 1998, 20:54 local time - Place: Olive Branch, MS - Airport: Olive Branch Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.9493° N, 89.8198° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9493&lon=-89.8198&mi=10 - Aircraft: N83396, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N83396-2000-07-31) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-32R-301 (registry code 7103218, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R301 - Reported engine: LYC IO540K1G5 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 1,330 total, 820 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99FA034) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981114039919A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON NOVEMBER 14, 1998, ABOUT 2054, CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-32R-301, N83396, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE OLIVE BRANCH AIRPORT, OLIVE BRANCH, MISSISSIPPI. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1920, FROM PRYOR FIELD AIRPORT, DECATUR, ALABAMA. REVIEW OF THE VOICE TAPE FROM MEMPHIS APPROACH CONTROL REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT THE CEILING AT THE MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS AT 300 FEET, AND NO WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED FOR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR THE LOCALIZER APPROACH TO RUNWAY 18, THEN CAME BACK ON THE FREQUENCY AND DECLARED A MISSED APPROACH. THE CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT HIS INTENTIONS AND THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE WANTED TO EXECUTE A SECOND LOCALIZER APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR THE APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE GROUND SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. (.4) WHILE E XECUTING A LOCALIZER/DME APPROACH, THE PILOT EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH BEFORE THE MISSED APPROACH POINT AND ADVISED THE CONTROLLER, 'WE WAS LOOK LIKE WE JUST ABOUT HAD IT THERE AH I THINK I'D LIKE TO TRY IT ONE MORE TIME TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT.' THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR THE SECOND LOCALIZER/DME APPROACH AND THE AIRPLANE REMAINED AT 2,400 FEET MSL, FOR 1.3 MILES PAST THE FAF, THEN DESCENDED TO ONLY 1,400 FEET AT THE MISSED APPROACH POINT. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND FROM THAT POINT TO WHERE THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST FROM RADAR .8 NAUTICAL MILE PAST THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES, THE GROUND, AND CAME TO REST WITH BOTH WINGS SEPARATED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, AND FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A NON-TSO'D ALTIMETER WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE WHICH WHEN TESTED, REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES. WEATHER OBSERVATION TAKEN 3 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AT THE MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LOCATED 10.9 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT, INDICATES AN OVERCAST CEILING AT 300 FEET WITH VISIBILITY OF 4 STATUTE MILES MIST. (-23) EARNEST HAMILTON PILOT OF PA-32 N83396 INITIATED TWO LOC-18 APPROACHES AT OLV. FIRST APPROACH WAS A MISSED APPROACH, SECOND ATTEMPT RESULTED IN OVER FLYING THE AIRPORT TO THE WEST AND SOUTH DESCENDING BELOW THE MDA, FAILING TO EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH, MAKING CONTACT WITH THE TREES AND CRASHING.BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER JOHN W. HAMILTON WERE KILLED ON IMPACT. ## 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 MIA99FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99FA034), Nov 15, 1998: Piper PA-32R-301 (N83396), Olive Branch, MS, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow IFR procedures when he descended below the published minimum descent altitude. ## Other reports on N83396 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19960531017759I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960531017759I), May 31, 1996: Piper PA32R301 (N83396), Arlington, TN, Minor damage. Narrative: after t/o landing gear failed to retract. Light stayed on. Several attempts to lower gear failed (nose) main ok. But nose gear partially extended… - [Incident 19910319012359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910319012359I), Mar 19, 1991: Piper PA32R301 (N83396), Pontiac, MI, Minor damage. In flight electrical system failure. Nose collapsed on rollout. Alternator belt pulley had failed. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.