Piper PA-22-108 accident near Vicksburg, Mississippi, October 25, 1984
On October 25, 1984 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N4873Z, was destroyed in an accident near Vicksburg, Mississippi (Vicksburg Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- October 25, 1984 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Vicksburg, Mississippi · Vicksburg Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N4873Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-8452
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING PREFLT, PLT DETECTED WATER IN FUEL SAMPLE. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY AND ON CROSSWIND LEG LOST POWER COMPLETELY. PLT STATED THAT ON APPROACH TO FORCED LANDING, HE INTENTIONALLY STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING TO SLOW THE ACFT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CARBURETOR FLOAT CHAMBER TO BE HALF FULL OF WATER.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-CL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.