Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jasper, Tennessee 37347
Sunday, February 12, 1989 15:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING LOW ALTITUDE MANEUVERS OVER THE PLTS SISTER'S HOUSE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY MADE 1 OR 2 DESCENDING LEFT TURNS. THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AT LESS THAN 100 FT AGL, WHICH LED TO AN INCREASED DESCENT RATE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A 30 FT HIGH TREE LOCATED ON THE SOUTH END OF A NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED ROW OF TREES, WHILE ON A NORTHERLY HDG. THE BANK ANGLE AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WAS BETWEEN 45 & 60 DEGREES. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. A NEPHEW OF THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE PLT HAD PERFORMED LOW ALTITUDE TURN MANEUVERS OVER HOUSE ON PRIOR OCCASIONS WHICH CULMUNATED IN PULL-UPS NEAR GROUND LEVEL. POST- MORTEM EXAM OF THE PLT BY A PATHOLOGIST REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY CONDITION WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSALLY RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT CONTROLS AT LOW ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT AND COLLISION WITH A TREE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/12/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1540
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City JASPER
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37347
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1552 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID CHA
Elevation of weather observation facility 682
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 946
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 12 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39059
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N588FL
NTSB Number ATL89FA086
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7125447
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 Nov 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 3247
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BEAVER, ROBERT J
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3005 OHLS AVE.
Aircraft Owner City CHAATTANOOGA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37419
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARION AIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address MARION COUNTY AIRPORT
Operator City JASPER
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37347
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APT
Departure City JASPER
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --