Rockwell 685 accident near Tupelo, Mississippi, October 19, 1991
On October 19, 1991 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Rockwell 685, registered N32652, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tupelo, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO INSURE THAT ADEQUATE FUEL WAS PLACED ON THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE FLIGHT RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1991 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Tupelo, Mississippi
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 685
- Registration
- N32652 · no longer on the register · serial 12029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT STATED AIRCRAFT FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES HAD NOT BEEN OPERATING PROPERLY. THE LAST TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN FOR REPAIR OF THE FUEL GAUGES, 12 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, HE BELIEVED 230 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT. SINCE THAT TIME HE CALCULATED HIS FUEL QUANTITY BY FUEL ADDED AND FUEL BURN ESTIMATES. WHILE ON APPROACH TO TUPELO BOTH ENGINES QUIT AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD. AFTER THE ACCIDENT LESS THAN ONE GALLON OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,410 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 6,243 as pilot in command; 1,561 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,755 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 1991; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GSO Greensboro NC at 1:07 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from TUP, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.