Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, August 24, 1990
On August 24, 1990 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N289PC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Bobby L. Chain airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED PRIOR TO LIFTOFF DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. THE PILOT THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN FLIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO DELAYED IN HIS DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1990 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hattiesburg, Mississippi · Bobby L. Chain · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N289PC · registry record · serial 7985093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF AND NOTED AT LIFTOFF THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS YAWING TO THE LEFT AND HIS ATTEMPTS TO USE RIGHT RUDDER IMPUTS WERE INEFFECTIVE. HE LET THE AIRPLANE DRIFT 400 FEET TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY WITH THE GEAR STILL DOWN AND THEN REDUCED POWER AND CRASHED. NO FAILURES OR MIS-RIGGING OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FOUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,044 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1,026 as pilot in command; 5 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HBG Hattiesburg MS at 5:15 pm
- Destination: MSL Muscle Shoals AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 6,219 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from JAN, 37 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.
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.