Piper PA32 301FT accident near Winona, Mississippi, October 16, 2014
On October 16, 2014 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 2005 Piper PA32 301FT, registered N106C, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Winona, Mississippi (Winona-Montgomery County 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
A loss of directional control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2014 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winona, Mississippi · Winona-Montgomery County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 301FT 301FT, built 2005 · all PA32 301FTs on the register
- Registration
- N106C · no longer on the register · serial 3232039
- 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 had maintenance conducted on the airplane's avionics, which included the replacement of the primary flight display (PFD). After the maintenance was completed, the pilot prepared to return to his home airport. A preflight inspection revealed no anomalies, and the steering system operated normally during taxi. During the takeoff roll, the pilot observed a red "X" indication over the airspeed indicator on the PFD. He "immediately started an emergency shutdown" of the airplane, during which the airplane began to drift left. He applied right rudder with no effect. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, continued across a grassy area, and impacted the airport perimeter fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and engine firewall. Postaccident examination of the nose landing gear steering system, rudder controls, and brake system revealed no anomalies, and no evidence of flight control binding or chafing was found. Maintenance facility personnel removed the newly replaced PFD before it could be examined; therefore, it could not be determined if its installation interfered with the airplane's flight control system. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the emergency procedure for a loss of air data on the PFD was to maintain airspeed and altitude by referring to the standby airspeed and altimeter.
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 control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 114 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,021.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 1,021 hours total
- Operator: Knight Brothers INC
The flight
- Departed from: 5A6 Winona MS at 5:15 pm
- Destination: CRX Corinth MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KGWO, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N106C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.