Piper PA-34-200T accident near Gulfport, Mississippi, January 7, 1996
On January 7, 1996 at about 10:12 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N424WA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gulfport, Mississippi (Gulfport Biloxi Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot, and inadequate supply of fuel in the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent ditching at sea.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1996 · about 10:12 pm local time
- Place
- Gulfport, Mississippi · Gulfport Biloxi Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N424WA · registry record · serial 34-7970056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the preflight planning, the pilot estimated that the flight would require 67 gallons of fuel. He added 20 gallons of fuel to the aircraft fuel system and estimated that 85 gallons of fuel were on board at takeoff. He did not report that the airplane was topped off with fuel before departing. Approximately three hours into the flight, both engines lost power about two miles south of the shore line; the airplane was ditched about 1-1/4 mile south of the shore. No fuel was found in the fuel system after the airplane was recovered from the water; the fuel system was intact during the examination
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 385 as pilot in command; 86 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,990 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1995; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St Petersburg FL at 7:10 pm
- Destination: GPT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 033° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:38 pm from GPT, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.