Lake LA-4-200 accident near Iuka, Mississippi, November 20, 2000
On November 20, 2000 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Lake LA-4-200, registered N65717, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iuka, Mississippi (Iuka Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power due to fuel contamination resulting in fuel starvation, a forced landing and the subsequent in-flight collision with a wire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2000 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Iuka, Mississippi · Iuka Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-200 · all LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N65717 · no longer on the register · serial 619
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot he departed with 'full fuel tanks (40 gallons),' and landed after a flight of 50 minutes. After spending time on the ground and not refueling, he departed for his home airport. He stated, '...cruising at 4,500 feet, engine began surging (fuel pressure fluctuating). Turned on aux fuel pump surging stopped for about 1 minute, then reoccurred, turned toward...[nearest] airport for emergency landing...insufficient gliding distance to make runway...struck power lines about 50 yards from runway and went inverted.' A witness heard the engine cutting in and out, before impacting with wires. Inspection of the airplane's fuel system, after the accident revealed, a small amount of fuel in the fuel lines, water, excessive contamination, corrosion, rust, and trash in the fuel. The fuel tank bladder was contaminated with rust, corrosion, trash, and water. The engine was rotated and had no binding; compression was noted on all cylinders. There was no external damage noted to the engine.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,350 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 14,800 as pilot in command; 3,300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,070 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 2000; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSL Muscle Shoals AL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: OLV Olive Branch MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from TUP, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N65717 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.