North American T-6G accident near Starkville, Mississippi, August 4, 2021
On August 4, 2021 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1946 North American T-6G, registered N7197C, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Starkville, Mississippi (Oktibbeha airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering at low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2021 · about 8:20 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Starkville, Mississippi · Oktibbeha · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-6G, built 1946 · all T-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N7197C · no longer on the register · serial 49-2897
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a series of low-level maneuvers when the accident occurred. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain. A postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although ethanol was detected in the pilot’s cavity blood, no ethanol was detected in the pilot’s vitreous specimens. Because vitreous specimens are generally less susceptible to contamination and postmortem microbial ethanol production than other specimen types, the absence of detectable ethanol in the pilot’s vitreous specimens indicated that the detected ethanol in the pilot’s cavity blood was likely from sources other than consumption and was thus not a factor in the accident.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,505 hours in all; 326 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 13, 2020
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M83 West Point MS at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KGTR, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGTR 042056Z 34007KT 10SM CLR 31/19 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP164 6//// T03110189 56009 PNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on March 29, 2023. 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 | Site Overview | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Wreckage Examination | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Global Positioning System (GPS) Report | PDF, 8 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Attachment 1 to Global Positioning System (GPS) Factual Report | data file · our copy | Download |
| 5 | Pilot Record (Excerpts) | PDF, 10 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Memo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 7 | Airplane Flight Path | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 8 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 9 | Maintenance Records (Excerpts) | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 10 | Medical Factual Report | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 11 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 12 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
Other NTSB records under N7197C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7197C: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- North American T-6 Texan 109 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES 1,229 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Oktibbeha Airport · nearest airport
- Mccharen Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Mississippi 845 since 1982 · 90 in the last ten years
- Mississippi 2,603 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N7197C 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN21FA355.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.