Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sparta, Tennessee 38583
Sunday, December 30, 1984 16:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DUAL ENGINE STOPPAGE. FUEL TANKS TOPPED BEFORE TAKEOFF. PLT HAD FILED IFR EN ROUTE BUT THE WIND HAD SHIFTED TO A 30 KT HEADWIND. PLT BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL REMAINING AND MADE AN INSTRUMENT APCH WHICH WAS MISSED BECAUSE OF LOW CLOUDS. DURING COURSE TO AN ALTERNATE, THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT. DURING VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE PLT SAID THE ENGINE STOPPAGE SOUNDED LIKE FUEL STARVATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/30/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SPARTA
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38583
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 12
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 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1637 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 105
Weather Observation Facility ID CSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1881
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3167
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27276
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7589Y
NTSB Number ATL85LA073
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-656
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 May 20 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM ROBINSON J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2316 BOB WALLACE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City HUNTSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35810
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 ROC
Departure City ROCHESTER
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BNA
Destination City NASHVILLE
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --