Piper PA-24-250 accident near Hernando, Mississippi, August 27, 2002
On August 27, 2002 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N120S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hernando, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's operation of the airplane with known deficiencies ( contaminated fuel system) which resulted in fuel starvation, a forced landing to a cotton field, and damage to the airplane during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2002 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hernando, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N120S · registry record · serial 24-125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he had trouble getting the engine started before departing on his flight, and that even though the engine was warm he had to prime it about five times to get it started. He said that while in cruise flight at 3,000 feet, all of a sudden the engine ceased operating. He said the airspeed decreased and the propeller kept wind milling, so he verified that he had been operating the airplane obtaining fuel from the right fuel tank, turned on the boost pump, primed the engine, and it started operating again. About 4 or 5 gallons of fuel was in the left tank, but more fuel was in the right tank, and he was about half way between the departure and destination points so he said he decided to continue to his destination. He said he flew for about 20 minutes and while descending to 1,700 feet the engine ceased operating again. He said he attempted to restart it again, but was unsuccessful so he executed a forced landing to a cotton field. During the landing the right wing and right main gear were damaged. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that the pilot told him that during the last annual inspection conducted in March 2002, the fuel filter was found to be partially blocked, and again in July 2002 the fuel filter drain had to be cleaned because the drain hose was also found to be blocked. Postaccident examinations of the airplane were performed by an FAA inspector and a FAA licensed mechanic, and the examinations revealed 16 gallons of fuel in the right tank, and 5 gallons of fuel in the left tank. In addition, debris was found in the fuel boost pump screen and in the carburetor.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 626 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMS Marks MS at 8:00 pm
- Destination: H75 Hernando MS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MEM, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.