Amateur-built Skybolt accident near Philadelphia, Mississippi, May 1, 2004
On May 1, 2004 at about 3:50 pm local time, a amateur-built Skybolt, registered N32DS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Philadelphia, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to see and avoid a guy wire which resulted in an in-flight collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2004 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Skybolt
- Registration
- N32DS · no longer on the register · serial 01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a guy wire while in low altitude cruise near Philadelphia, Mississippi. The pilot had just passed over Philadelphia Municipal Airport and turned left to a heading of 140 degrees, cruising at an altitude of 1600 feet. The pilot stated that at the reduced power setting of 2000 RPM, the airplane had a slightly higher angle of attack than normal cruise. After about 8 minutes on the heading of 140 degrees, the pilot felt a shock on the airframe and heard a loud noise. The airplane turned 30 degrees to the left. The airplane was still flyable so the pilot proceeded to the nearest airport, Barrett Field in Philadelphia, Mississippi and landed without incident. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed that both left wings were broken off from the middle portion of wing, left wing spar damaged and the left aileron almost completely detached. The pilot stated that "aircraft with characteristics of tandem seating with Pilot-In-Command in the rear, and forward visibility obscured to any degree above the level flight path should not be flown for long periods on a steady heading. Small course changes, left and right will eliminate the obscured area."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,794 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 5,693 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 12, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,346 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 2003; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,690 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LMS Louisville MS at 3:15 pm
- Destination: Merdian MS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KMEI, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.