- Date
- May 29, 2004, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Carthage, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2484APiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040529008809A
- Case key
- 59368
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the student pilot to maintain control of the airplane resulting in the airplane departing the runway and impacting with terrain. A factor related to this accident was the student pilot's lack of total flight experience.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The student pilot stated he over flew the airport prior to landing and noted the wind was directly down runway 17. His approach to runway 17 was good with touchdown occurring on the centerline at 60 knots. Just as he touched down, a gust of wind from 260 degrees blew him into a ravine adjacent to the left side of the runway. A downdraft in the ravine forced the airplane into the ground incurring substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. A METAR weather observation taken 24 minutes after the accident from the Jackson International Airport (JAN) indicates that the wind was variable at 5 knots gusting to 15 knots. The JAN airport is located approximately 39 nautical miles and 223 degrees from the accident airport.
Factual narrative
On May 29, 2004, approximately 1430 central daylight time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2484A, registered to and operated by a private individual, departed the runway on landing and impacted terrain at Carthage-Leake County Airport, Carthage, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the student pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated from Raymond, Mississippi, at 1300 that same day.
The student pilot stated he overflew the airport prior to landing and noted the wind was directly down runway 17. His approach to runway 17 was good with touchdown occurring on the centerline at 60 knots. Just as he touched down, a gust of wind from 260 degrees blew him into a ravine adjacent to the left side of the runway. A downdraft in the ravine forced the airplane into the ground incurring substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
A METAR weather observation taken 24 minutes after the accident from the Jackson International Airport (JAN) indicates that the wind was variable at 5 knots gusting to 15 knots. The JAN airport is located approximately 39 nautical miles and 223 degrees from the accident airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2484A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-78A0708
- Airframe hours
- 1,050
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Richardson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 14, 2003 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- M16 · Raymond, MS
- Destination
- 08M · Carthage, MS
- Airport
- 08M · Carthage-Leake County, runway 17, 3,000 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 52 total · 30 in this make and model · 22 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- JAN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.