Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Lagrange, Georgia, August 27, 1996
On August 27, 1996 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N741RB, was destroyed in an accident near Lagrange, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper procedure by not placing the fuel selector on the tank with the most fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation and a forced landing in a pasture. Contributing factors in this accident were the pilot's inadequate pre-flight and in-flight planning, lack of instrument certification, and the pressure imposed on him from flying into adverse weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1996 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lagrange, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N741RB · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7985037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was VFR and had 'gotten into IFR conditions.' He was instructed to maintain VFR at all times. The pilot subsequently continued his own navigation and changed radio frequencies. Within minutes the pilot radioed a mayday call and radio communications were lost. Ground witnesses reported that the airplane's engine was backfiring and sputtering. The airplane was seen at a low altitude, in a left bank, when the left wing struck a tree (discolored foliage was observed near the tree). Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left fuel tank was breached, and no fuel was observed in the tank. The right fuel tank was not breached, and less then 1/2 gallon of fuel was drained from the tank. The fuel selector was found on the 'right' tank, and the electric fuel pump switch was found in the 'OFF' position. The last known fueling of the airplane was on 8/26, with 50 gallons of fuel. Total fuel in the airplane at that point was unknown. According to Hobbs meter readings, a total of 6.1 hours were flown on the airplane from the time it departed until the crash. The PA-32RT-300, had a total fuel capacity of 98 gallons, of which 94 gallons were usable fuel, and the airplane burned 18 gallons per hour of fuel at a power setting of 75 percent. At 75 percent power the airplane cruised at 155 knots. Calculating the distances for the different flight segments, the total flight time would have been 3 hours 50 minutes, leaving 2 hours and 54 minutes of unknown flight time that was used during the entire trip. Total fuel obtained on the trip, assuming the tanks were full when the airplane departed, was 148 gallons [98+50]. About 87 gallons was used for the flights (not including taxi and climb), from the start to finish, leaving about 61 gallons of fuel that can not be accounted for during the trip. Based on the Hobbs time of 6.1 hours, at a fuel burn rate of 18 gallons per hour, 110 gallons of fuel was consumed, which calculates to about 48 gallons of fuel remaining at the time of impact. The total usable fuel for each tank (2) was 47 gallons.
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: 360 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52,293 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 1995; 137 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Boss Rocket Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DHN Dothan AL at 1:26 pm
- Destination: 4A7 Hampton GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:20 pm from CSG, 16 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.