Piper PA-23-250 accident near Fargo, Georgia, May 7, 1998
On May 7, 1998 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N4BN, was destroyed in an accident near Fargo, Georgia (Fargo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the left engine propeller blades struck the runway surface during takeoff, resulting in the pilot losing control of the airplane, and subsequently impacting with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1998 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Fargo, Georgia · Fargo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N4BN · no longer on the register · serial 27-7654026
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the airplane start its takeoff roll on a heading of 150 degrees, on a grass runway 2,200 feet long. About 800 feet from the start of the takeoff roll the airplane became airborne about 8 feet off the ground, then went nose and left wing low into the runway where the left propeller struck the grass surface. Twenty propeller slash marks were found in the grass surface at the point in the runway were the witnesses saw the propeller strike the ground. The airplane then took off, climbed about 50 feet above the ground, turned left, struck trees, impacted the ground and caught fire. According to a witnesses, the airplane had taxied to the takeoff point and the pilot did an engine run up. At this point the witness said, '...[the] aircraft's engine seemed to sputter (one), he took off from the [north] end. The aircraft took off, but didn't seem to climb. The aircraft settled back down, propeller started hitting [the] ground, then aircraft got airborne again, made it over oak tree (note cross wind from pilot's right side). Struck pine tree and [I] saw fire ball.' Witnesses described the winds as gusty and a direct crosswind from the right side of the runway to the left side, with occasional shifts in the wind from the northwest. The reported winds about 40 miles west of the crash site were: winds from 220 degrees at 14 knots. Both engines were partially disassembled and no discrepancies were found. Examination of runway 15 revealed 20 propeller slash marks were found on the left side of the runway, on a heading of 150 degrees, and were measured at a total distance of 453 feet, 3 inches. The distances between the first and second slash marks was 2 feet. The distances between last two slash marks was 61 feet. It was determined that the ground speed of the airplane between the first slash mark and the second slash mark was 101.9 miles per hour.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,528 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GA25 at 10:40 pm
- Destination: X31 Crystal River FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from VLD, 40 miles away
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.