# NTSB DCA78AA001: Convair 240, N55VM, Gillsburg, MS, October 20, 1977

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 20, 1977
- Place: Gillsburg, MS · GILLSBURG, MS
- Location: 31.0252° N, 90.6559° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Gillsburg, MS, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.0252&lon=-90.6559&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 6 fatal, 19 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- NTSB case key (mKey): 195024
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA78AA001
- Board report AAR7806 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7806.pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA78AA001-195024

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3896  77/10/20   GILLSBURG,MS        CONVAIR 240         CR-  2  0  0  COMMERCIAL                AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 1852                    N55VM               PX-  4 19  1  AIR TAXI-PASSG            34, 6802 TOTAL HOURS, 68
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          GREENVILLE,SC               BATON ROUGE,LA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     LANDING: FINAL APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISMANAGEMENT OF FUEL
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - INATTENTIVE TO FUEL SUPPLY
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FUEL EXHAUSTION
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: OTHER
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-2 ENGINES
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
        REMARKS- R ENG MALFUNCTION OF UNDETERMINED NATURE RESULTED IN HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N55VM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55VM-2012-08-23), registration cancelled 2012-08-23, S/N 3, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CONVAIR 240
- Registry model: [Convair 240](https://openairdocs.org/model/convair-240) (registry code 2422601) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-2800 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-2800-series) (registry code 52026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19771020043659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19771020043659A), Oct 20, 1977: Cvac 240/, MS, Destroyed, 4 fatal

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.

---
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.
