Tullahoma Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388
Saturday, August 31, 1991 19:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE THAT DAY AND WAS PREPARING FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT WITH HIS SON. ALL GROUND CHECKS WERE NORMAL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE OBSERVED A DECREASE IN ENGINE RPM. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND CHECKED THE MAGS, CARB HEAT, AND MIXTURE. WITH TREES AHEAD, HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE AND FORCED LANDED IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP, AND WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT. THE MAGS, CARBURETOR, AND ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. FIRE DAMAGE PREVENTED ANY TESTING OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL. THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENGINE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TULLAHOMA
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37388
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TULLAHOMA REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID THA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 330
Airport Elevation 1081
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2030 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID THA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1081
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 834
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45087
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:37AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5568U
NTSB Number ATL91LA166
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-26465
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3274
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HILL, ROGER W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O.BOX 1792
Aircraft Owner City TULLAHOMA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37388
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HILL, ROGER W.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O.BOX 1792
Operator City TULLAHOMA
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37388
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --