Lebanon Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lebanon, Tennessee 37087
Thursday, January 9, 1997 16:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The noninstrument-rated private pilot/aircraft broker was ferrying the airplane to a purchaser. He reported that he had been airborne about 4 hours 45 minutes since the last refueling . He was flying over an overcast. The engine oil temperature increased and the engine rpm decreased. He descended through a hole in the clouds, located an empty field and made a forced landing. He stated that as a precaution, he then had 5 gallons of fuel brought from the local airport, about two miles away, and had it put in the airplane. He then elected to takeoff, stating that the oil temperature was now almost normal. During the soft, short field departure, the airplane became airborne prematurely when the takeoff path crossed a terrace. The pilot said airspeed began decreasing, but he was committed to the takeoff. A left turn was begun which resulted in a stall and collision with the ground.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper short, soft field takeof. A factor was the pilot's poor in-flight decision to operate over an overcast until near the airplane's maximum endurance.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/9/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LEBANON
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37087
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LEBANON MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M54
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 576
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 225
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 9 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1434X
NTSB Number ATL97LA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7535281
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLARD A. INNES
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2 BOX 78F
Aircraft Owner City AMARILLO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79101
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 3F7
Departure City BRISTOW
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TYS
Destination City KNOXVILLE
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --