Piper PA32 accident near New Albany, Mississippi, March 20, 2008
On March 20, 2008 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Piper PA32, registered N3304W, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near New Albany, Mississippi (New Albany airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2008 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- New Albany, Mississippi · New Albany · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 260 · all PA32s on the register
- Registration
- N3304W · no longer on the register · serial 32-140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a normal preflight inspection and engine run-up, the pilot departed from a 3,900-foot-long, asphalt runway. The airplane lifted off normally and had climbed to an altitude of about 75 feet above the runway, when it began to sputter and then lost power. The airplane touched down hard on the remaining runway, before going off the end, and coming to a stop about 50 feet beyond the runway. A post crash fire consumed a majority of the fuselage, and the right wing. Examination of the engine did not identify evidence of any mechanical malfunctions. The airplane had been flown for 1.3 hours since it was refueled to its maximum capacity of 84 gallons, 9 days prior to the accident. Fuel recovered from the airplane’s left wing was absent of contamination.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff defining event
- Hard landing during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Not specified
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 530 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 460 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 17, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 2007; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Cooper Electrical Controls INC
The flight
- Departed from: M72 New Albany MS at 12:50 pm
- Destination: CRX Corinth MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from TUP, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.