Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lexington, Mississippi, August 21, 1982
On August 21, 1982 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5044T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Mississippi (Old Lexington Airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1982 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Mississippi · Old Lexington Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5044T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 6 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THERE WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHEN THE MIXTURE LEVER WAS RETARDED TO LEAN THE ENGINE FOR CRUISE. THE MIXTURE WAS QUICKLY ADVANCED, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRSPEED WAS HIGH AND THE PILOT WAS OVERSHOOTING, SO HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY DEVELOP 1400 RPM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRASH LANDED IN A SOY BEAN FIELD. DURING A POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN-UP, THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY DEVELOP 1700 RPM. THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED WHEN THE MARVEL SCHEBLIER CARBURETOR, PN MA45PA, MALFUNCTIONED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 328 hours in all; 164 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,406 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lexington MS at 9:40 am
- Destination: Lexington MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 181°F (83°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.