Piper PA-22-135 accident near Booneville, Mississippi, September 3, 1989
On September 3, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-135, registered N3724A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Booneville, Mississippi (Booneville-Baldwyn airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WERE A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Booneville, Mississippi · Booneville-Baldwyn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-135 · all PA-22-135s on the register
- Registration
- N3724A · registry record · serial 22-1965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE ENG RPM HAD DROPPED FROM 2400 TO 2100. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT, HE MADE A LEFT TURN TO CLEAR TREES. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A FIELD, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING A POST-ACDNT EXAM OF THE ACFT & ENG. THE PLT DID NOT APPLY CARB HEAT AFTER THE LOSS OF PWR; HOWEVER, HE ESTIMATED THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 80 & 30 DEG, WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE.
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
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 34M Campbell MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from TUP, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.