1972 — Sep 7, Piper Navajo loss of control airport approach crash, near Columbus MS-all 6

–6 Aviation Safety Network. Piper PA-31 approach crash near Tupelo Reg. AP, Columbus MS.
–6 National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB Identification MIA 73AM026…N9261Y.”
–6 United Press Int’l. “Six Die In Plane Crash.” Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 9-8-1972, p. 2.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database:
“Date: 07-Sep-1972
“Time: 21:41 LT
“Type: Piper PA-31 Navajo
“Owner/operator: Piper Acceptance Corporation
….
“MSN: 31-341
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 ….”

National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB Identification MIA 73AM026…N9261Y.”:
“Aircraft: Piper PA-31
“File 3-3661
“Date 72/9/7
“Location Nr. Columbus, Miss
….
“Injuries CR- 2 [fatal]
PX- 4 [fatal]
“Flight Purpose Noncommercial…Pleasure/Personal
“Pilot Data Private, age 67, 5100 total hours, unk/nr in type, not instrument rated.
“Name of airport Carson
“Departure Point Tupelo, Miss
“Intended destination Columbus, Miss
“Type of Accident Collision with ground/water: uncontrolled
“Phase of operation Landing; final approach
“Probable Cause Undetermined
….
“Remarks Loss of ctl [control] for undet [undetermined] reason
Pilot had severe coronary artery disease.”

Newspaper

Sep 8, UPI: “Columbus, Miss. (UPI) – Six persons including a prominent Lowndes County landowner were killed Thursday night when a private twin-engine plane crashed in a hayfield south of here. Authorities said the plane apparently went down around midnight while returning from a flight to Tupelo, about 60 miles north of Columbus. The wreckage was not found until early today when it was spotted by farm worker. All six occupants of the light plane – five men and a woman – were dead.

“They included Saunders Carson Sr., 67, of the Crawford area, a prominent Lowndes County landowner and egg producer and former president of the Lowndes County Farm Bureau. Also aboard was Grady Jacobs of Columbus, maintenance supervisor at the Golden Triangle Vocational – Technical Center. The names of the other victims were not immediately released pending notification of relatives. They included two Air Force officers from Columbus Air Force Base and the wife of one of the officers.” (United Press International. “Six Die In Plane Crash.” Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 9-8-1972, p. 2.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database. Piper Navajo approach crash near Tupelo Regional AP, Columbus, MS, 9-7-1972. Accessed 7-20-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/13581

National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB Identification MIA 73AM026…N9261Y.” Accessed 7-20-2023 at: https://www.ntsb.gov/Pages/brief.aspx?ev_id=66288&key=0

United Press International. “Six Die In Plane Crash.” Laurel Leader-Call, MS. 9-8-1972, p. 2.
Accessed 7-20-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/laurel-leader-call-sep-08-1972-p-2/