# Accident 20020827023009A: Piper PA24250, Hrnando, MS, August 27, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 27, 2002, 14:45 local time - Place: Hrnando, MS - Airport: Hernando Village Airpark Inc - Damage: Substantial damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.7983° N, 90.0367° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7983&lon=-90.0367&mi=10 - Aircraft: N120S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N120S) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA24250 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA02LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA159) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020827023009A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MARKS, MS (MMS) FOR HERNANDO, MS (H75). PILOT REPORTED ENGINE HARD TO START AT MMS, HAD TO PRIME WARM ENGINE FIVE TIMES. ENGINE LOST POWER ENROUTE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED AND FLIGHT CONTINUED. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN AND STOPPED OVER ARKABUTLA LAKE. ENGINE RESTART WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. PILOT RETURNED TO A COTTONFIELD WHERE AN OFF-FIELD LANDING WAS MADE. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND RIGHT WING RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. IN MARCH AND JULY FUEL LINE BLOCKAGE WAS FOUND AND REMOVED. NO FUEL LINE CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND POST ACCIDENT BUT CARBURETOR TEARDOWN REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL RUST IN CARBURETOR. (.19) ON AUGUST 27, 2002, ABOUT 1520, CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-24-250, N120S, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, AND THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A FIELD ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HERNANDO, MISSISSIPPI. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FR OM MARKS, MISSISSIPPI, THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 1300. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 3,000 FEET, AND HE WAS OPERATING THE ENGINE AT 2,300 RPM AND 23 INCHES HG, WITH AN AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 140 KNOTS, EN ROUTE TO HERNANDO, MISSISSIPPI, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATING. HE SAID THAT THE AIRSPEED DECREASED AND THE PROPELLER KEPT WIND MILLING, SO HE VERIFIED THAT HE HAD BEEN OPERATING THE AIRPLANE OBTAINING FUEL FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP, AND THE ENGINE STARTED OPERATING AGAIN. HE SAID HE HAD A VERY LOW QUANTITY OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, ABOUT 4 OR 5 GALLONS, BUT HAD MORE FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND HE WAS ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN HIS DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION POINTS, SO HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO HIS DESTINATION. HE SAID HE FLEW ON FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATING AGAIN, AND THAT IT HAPPENED AS HE DESCENDED TO 1,700 FEET, APPROACHING THE MEMPHIS CLASS B AIRSPACE. AT THIS TIME THE ENGINE AGAIN CEASED OPERATING AGAIN FOR A SECOND TIME, HE SAID HE WAS OVER A LAKE, SO HE ELECTED TO PERFORM A 180-DEGREE TURN AND GET TO A POSITION OVER LAND. HE SAID HE COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO OPERATESO HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A COTTON FIELD, AND DURING THE LANDING THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR WERE DAMAGED. ## 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 MIA02LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA159), Aug 27, 2002: Piper PA-24-250 (N120S), Hernando, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's operation of the airplane with known deficiencies ( contaminated fuel system) which resulted in fuel starvation, a forced landing to a cotton field, and damage to the airplane during the… 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.