Knoxville Downtown Island Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Knoxville, Tennessee 37920
Friday, August 14, 1987 15:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT CLBD NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 100 TO 150 FT, THEN THE ENG LOST PWR W/O WARNING. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS & TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE. THE ACFT WAS LNDD & SANK IN A RIVER, SHORT OF AN OPEN FLD. WHEN THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WATER, THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FOUND ABOUT 1-1/8 INCH FROM THE FULL RICH POSITION. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE ENG WAS DRIED OUT & SERVICED WITH NEW OIL. AN ENG RUN WAS MADE, BUT THE POWER WAS LIMITED TO ABOUT 1500 RPM TO AVOID VIBRATION DUE TO A BENT PROP. THE PLT SAID THAT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF, HE HAD LEANED THE MIXTURE DUE TO THE AMBIENT TEMP. THE 1452 TEMP AT KNOXVILLE WAS 88 DEG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/14/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KNOXVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37920
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN ISLAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DKX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 78
Airport Elevation 833
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1452 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1640
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 14 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1645
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34846
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8661W
NTSB Number ATL87LA231
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-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10794
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 10 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEONARD K. HASTEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 1
Aircraft Owner City MERTENS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76666
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BMI
Destination City BLOOMINGTON
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 8
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --