Lockheed P-38L-5LD accident near Greenwood, Mississippi, June 25, 2001
On June 25, 2001 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Lockheed P-38L-5LD, registered N25Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenwood, Mississippi (Greenwood-Leflore 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
the failure and uncontained separation of supercharger impeller blades for undetermined reasons during normal descent, resulting in a punctured fuel line and the subsequent in-flight engine fire and emergency descent and forced landing to a farm field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2001 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwood, Mississippi · Greenwood-Leflore · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed P-38L-5LD · all P-38L-5LDs on the register
- Registration
- N25Y · registry record · serial 5339
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Lockheed P-38L-5LD "Lightning" was being ferried from Tullahoma, Tennessee, to its home base in Texas following its participation in an air show. During descent into the Greenwood, Mississippi area for refueling, the left engine backfired, ran roughly, and the cockpit filled with thick smoke. With reduced cockpit visibility, and a need to get the aircraft on the ground as soon as possible, the pilot chose a cotton field for a forced landing. Postcrash examination of the left engine revealed the supercharger sustained an internal compressor wheel failure that shot compressor blade pieces through the supercharger housing and the fuel feed line. High pressure 100 octane fuel spewed inside the left engine nacelle, ignited, and caused the in-flight fire.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 650 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2001; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 22,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Allison V1710-111 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Allison V1710-113 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THA Tullahoma TN at 1:00 pm
- Destination: GWO Greenwood MS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from GWO, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.