20230603009099A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-325 · Tupelo, MS · June 3, 2023

Date: June 3, 2023 · 09:00 local
Place: Tupelo, MS
Airport: Tupelo Regional
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4077W
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23FA208
Reported as: Piper PA-31-325
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,600 total

N4077WRegistered now · Piper PA-31-325S/N 31-8112031 · Built 1980 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-325 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft departed runway 36, Tupelo ms, tup. Aircraft was climbing, departing right hand pattern. The aircraft then turned right and headed back to the airport for unknown reasons. The aircraft crashed on the Tupelo airport approxamently 1/4 mile east of the runway in the perimenter of the army gaurd air support facility. Both engines are belived to have been making power according to the propeller strike signatures. The aircraft caught fire upon impact. Airport fire department arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. The aircraft was destroyed. Pilot and passenger received fatal injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 36, TUPELO MS, TUP. AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING, DEPARTING RIGHT HAND PATTERN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED RIGHT AND HEADED BACK TO THE AIRPORT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON THE TUPELO AIRPORT APPROXAMENTLY 1/4 MILE EAST OF THE RUNWAY IN THE PERIMENTER OF THE ARMY GAURD AIR SUPPORT FACILITY. BOTH ENGINES ARE BELIVED TO HAVE BEEN MAKING POWER ACCORDING TO THE PROPELLER STRIKE SIGNATURES. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE UPON IMPACT. AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR23FA208Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportTupelo, MSThe pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control.Jun 3, 2023 · Destroyed