Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Rose Hill, Mississippi, January 11, 1989
On January 11, 1989 at about 1:12 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N9378N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rose Hill, Mississippi. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AND FUEL STARVATION FROM IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: NIGHT AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 1989 · about 1:12 am local time
- Place
- Rose Hill, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N9378N · no longer on the register · serial 28R35087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING AN INSTRUMENT ARRIVAL AT NIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY RECEIVING THE ILS SIGNAL. HE ABANDONED THE APCH & FINALLY HAD TO USE HIS FLASHLIGHT TO FLY THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE ACFT CRASHED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN POOR WX CONDS AT NIGHT. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE MASTER SW WAS TURNED ON & THE FUEL PUMPS, RADIOS & ELECTRICALLY POWERED FLT & NAV INSTRUMENTS OPERATED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE AIRPORT ILS SYS WAS FLT TESTED BY THE FAA & WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. A CHECK OF THE INTACT FUEL SYS REVEALED THERE WAS TWO QUARTS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK & 9 QUARTS IN THE LEFT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. ALSO, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE INJECTOR LINES TO THE CYLINDERS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 976 hours in all; 271 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 864 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,254 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1988; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OA6 Gastonia NC
- Destination: MEI Meridian MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.