Piper PA-32-300 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, March 16, 1997
On March 16, 1997 at about 3:05 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N1102N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of maintenance personnel to properly inspect (and repair) the brake assembly, which allowed a subsequent brake fluid leak and eventual fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1997 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N1102N · registry record · serial 32-40756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After stopping at the hold short line in preparation for takeoff, the pilot noticed a fire from under the right wing. He called for ARFF personnel and evacuated the airplane. The fire was extinguished. Examination revealed that the fire had been burning from the right wheel assembly, not the wing. Further examination of the wheel showed the brakes seals were worn, and there was no brake fluid in the reservoir. The brake linings and discs were badly scoured. The brake pads had not been replaced in over 400 hours. The master brake cylinder was replaced 8 days before the accident, during an annual inspection.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 730 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 605 as pilot in command; 135 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,969 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1997; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MEM
- Destination: GLH Greenville MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36C, 8,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from MEM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL97LA050.