Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Tennessee 37172
Tuesady, July 4, 1989 17:03 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT RECEIVED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING FOR AN IFR FLT AT 7,000 FEET WHICH INCLUDED FORECASTED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG ROUTE OF FLT. A CONVECTIVE SIGMET WAS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR ROUTE OF FLIGHT. IN THE AREA OF SPRINGFIELD, TN, THE FLT WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR TO BE APPROACHING AN AREA OF PRECIPITATION, AND THE PLT STATED IT WAS GETTING 'A LITTLE ROUGH'. DEVIATION AROUND THE WEATHER AND AN ALTITUDE CHANGE, IF NECESSARY, WAS APPROVED BY THE CONTROLLER. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE FLT WAS ADVISED IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A WEATHER AREA AND THAT ADDITIONAL WEATHER AREAS WERE AHEAD. THE FLT WAS LOST FROM RADAR SHORTLY AFTER THIS. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT COME OUT OF AREA OF LIGHTNING AND THUNDER IN A 70 DEGREE NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER WHICH RESULTED IN HIS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1703
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SPRINGFIELD
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37172
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1723 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1611
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40497
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7554Y
NTSB Number ATL89FA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-617
Certified Max Gross Weight 3725
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 13 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 162
Airframe Hours 1836
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN L HART
Aircraft Owner Street Address 126 ERIC RUN COURT
Aircraft Owner City LAWRENCEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30243
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN L. HART
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 126 ERIC RUN COURT
Operator City LAWRENCEVILLE
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30244
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 MWA
Departure City MARION
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1606
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L24
Destination City LAWRENCEVILLE
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --