Piper PA-28-140 accident near Ocean Springs, Mississippi, March 19, 2011
On March 19, 2011 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7330J, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Ocean Springs, Mississippi (Ocean Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's overweight condition due to the pilot's improper weight and balance calculation that resulted in the airplane's inability to maintain altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2011 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean Springs, Mississippi · Ocean Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7330J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24684
- 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 he departed the airplane's base with full fuel tanks and flew 12 miles to pick up 3 passengers for a flight to a resort destination. The pilot boarded the passengers, loaded an estimated 40 pounds of luggage, and completed the engine start, run-up, magneto check, taxi, and takeoff roll with no anomalies noted. At 80 to 100 feet above the runway, the airplane would not climb. At that time, the pilot perceived a loss of engine power and noted that the engine rpm had decayed. The pilot checked the position of the engine controls, and responded to continuous stall warnings by lowering the nose, which resulted in a steady loss of altitude. He then selected a narrow street in a residential area, 1/2 mile from the airport, for the forced landing. The passengers' accounts of the accident were consistent with the pilot's, with the exception that they each estimated the weight of the baggage to be between 80 and 100 pounds. After the accident, the engine started and ran on the airframe with no anomalies noted. The airplane manufacturer's maximum allowable gross weight was 2,150 pounds. The estimated gross weight at takeoff, using the 40-pound baggage weight was 2,248 pounds.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Stall warn/stick-shaker/pusher during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weight/balance calculations › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum weight › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,400 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,905 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 27, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,946 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: O P Harbour LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 5R2 Ocean Springs MS at 7:00 pm
- Destination: DTS Destin FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from BIX, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.