Piper PA-32-300 accident near Waynesboro, Mississippi, September 5, 1988
On September 5, 1988 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N43046, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waynesboro, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1988 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waynesboro, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N43046 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7440113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 5500 FT, THE PLT SMELLED BURNING OIL. MOMENTS LATER, OIL PRESS WAS LOST, THE PROP WENT INTO HIGH RPM & THE TACH ZOOMED OVER REDLINE. A LOUD REPORT WAS HEARD & ALL POWER WAS LOST. A FORCED LDG WAS ATTEMPTED IN THE ROLLING COUNTRY BUT THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE & FENCE. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE NO. 6 CONNECTING ROD CAP FAILED FOLLOWED BY A PROGRESSIVE AND MASSIVE INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE ENG DUE TO OIL STARVATION. FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THE STARVATION WAS DUE TO A BROKEN OIL SUPPLY HOSE WHICH RUNS FROM THE OIL COOLER TO THE ACCESSORY DRIVE SECTION OF THE ENG. THE HOSE WAS 12 YRS OLD & HAD ACCUMULATED 802 HRS SINCE BEING INSTALLED IN 1978. THE RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT TIME FOR THE HOSE IS 1000 HRS. THE HOSE IS COVERED BY A FIRE INSULATION SLEEVE & CANNOT BE READILY SEEN WITHOUT DISCONNECTING THE HOSE, REMOVING IT FROM THE ACFT & WITHDRAWING IT FROM THE SLEEVE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 828 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1988; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M09 Yazoo City MS
- Destination: 54J Defuniak Sprgs FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from MEI, 47 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N43046 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.