Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi, October 16, 1996
On October 16, 1996 at about 2:25 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N16413, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi (Olive Branch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The farmer's failure to maintain security of his livestock/animals.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1996 · about 2:25 am local time
- Place
- Olive Branch, Mississippi · Olive Branch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N16413 · no longer on the register · serial 7335142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that as the takeoff airspeed accelerated to 60 mph, with the landing lights on, he noticed the rear end of a large black bull walking down the center of the runway. During the pilot's attempt to avoid a collision, the right wing struck the bull. Reportedly, the bull came from a pasture adjacent to the airport. In the past, there had been several occurrences of domestic livestock on the airport property from a nearby pasture.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,272 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,956 as pilot in command; 847 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,388 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 7, 1996; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OLV at 3:25 am
- Destination: LIC Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from MEM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.