Circle E Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Joseph, Tennessee 38481
Sunday, February 6, 1983 7:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY DURING A NIGHT LANDING IN IMC WEATHER. THE RUNWAY WAS A PRIVATE DIRT STRIP. FLIGHT PURPOSE IS NOT KNOWN BUT IT IS SUSPECTED IT WAS A DRUG SMUGGLING FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED LONG ON THE 2400 FOOT STRIP AND WENT OFF THE END ACROSS A ROAD, THROUGH A FENCE AND INTO SMALL PINE TREES BEFORE STOPPING 1200 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THREE MEN IN TWO VEHICLES FOLLOWED THE AIRCRAFT AND HELPED THE PILOT UNLOAD SEVERAL SMALL BROWN PACKAGES BEFORE ALL OF THEM ABANDONED THE AIRCRAFT. THE OWNER IN FLORIDA CLAIMED THE AIRCRAFT WAS STOLEN TWO DAYS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT FROM A LOCKED HANGER. NEITHER THE HANGER NOR THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED ANY SIGNS OF FORCED ENTRY. ALSO THE AIRCRAFT HAD SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT ON BOARD WHICH WOULD HAVE TAKEN 5 DAYS TO INSTALL. THE OWNER CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE EQUIPMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/6/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ST. JOSEPH
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38481
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CIRCLE E
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport 315
Airport Elevation 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 755 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 90
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20250
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54244
NTSB Number ATL83LA100
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-4349
Certified Max Gross Weight 5800
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 7 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 142
Airframe Hours 4131
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD RENNER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 166 DOVE CREEK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City TAVERNIER
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33070
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 31
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --