Rockwell International NA-265-65 accident near New Albany, Mississippi, April 13, 2019
On April 13, 2019 at about 8:14 pm local time, a 1980 Rockwell International NA-265-65, registered N265DS, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near New Albany, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An unidentified electrical system malfunction that led to the pilots losing awareness of the airplane's performance in instrument meteorological conditions and resulted in a loss of control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2019 · about 8:14 pm local time
- Place
- New Albany, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International NA-265-65, built 1980
- Registration
- N265DS · no longer on the register · serial 465-45
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two instrument-rated commercial pilots and one passenger were conducting a cross-country flight in instrument meteorological conditions when they began discussing an electrical malfunction; they then reported the electrical problem to air traffic control. The airplane subsequently made a descending right turn and impacted wooded terrain at a high speed. Most components of the airplane were highly fragmented, impact damaged, and unidentifiable. Based on the limited discussion of the electrical problem on the cockpit voice recorder and the damage to the airplane, it was not possible to determine the specific nature of the electrical malfunction the airplane may have experienced. While it was not possible to determine which systems were impacted by the electrical malfunction, it is possible the flight instruments were affected. The airplane's descending, turning, flight path before impact is consistent with a system malfunction that either directly or indirectly (through a diversion of attention) led to the pilot's loss of awareness of the airplane's performance in instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent loss of control of the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Electrical system malf/failure during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Effect on personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › (general) › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,754 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 23,999 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Airesearch TFE731 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Airesearch TFE731 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Classic Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: KUOX Oxford MS at 8:06 pm
- Destination: khab Hamilton AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.40 inHg
- Observation at 8:24 pm from KTUP, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on October 16, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weather Study | PDF, 30 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Attachment 1 - ForeFlight Weather Briefing | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Wreckage Diagrams | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Hab RNAV 18 Approach Diagram | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Air Traffic Control Transcript | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | ATC Audio Recording | video | View Download |
| 7 | radar Track | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Raw radar Data 1 | data file | Download |
| 9 | Raw radar Data 2 | data file | Download |
| 10 | Raw radar Data 3 | data file | Download |
| 11 | Cockpit Voice Recorder Group Chairman's Factual Report | PDF, 18 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Toxicological Report-copilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 13 | Toxicological Report-pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 14 | Photos | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 15 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.