Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130
Monday, May 2, 1983 16:07 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD AFTER AN IN-FLT FIRE. THE FIRE STARTED WHILE THE ACFT WAS CRUISING. NO EMERGENCY CALLSWERE MADE AND THE ENGINE WHICH WAS THE FIRE SOURCE WAS NOT SHUT DOWN. A REAR SEAT PASSENGER SAID HE TRIED TO OPEN A REARDOOR TO LET OUT SMOKE BUT COULD NOT HOLD THE DOOR OPEN AND PASSED OUT BEFORE THE CRASH LANDING. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE MANIFOLD WAS FOUND UNBOLTED WITH THE BOLTS MISSING. THIS MANIFOLD HAD BEEN REMOVED ON 2 WEEKS BEFORE DURING MAINTENANCE.NO TORQUE VALUE WAS SPECIFIED ON REPLACING THE MANIFOLD NUTS THE TORQUE VALUE IS 160-180 INCH POUNDS. THE RELEASE WAS NOT SIGNED OFF BY THE MECHANIC BUT BY THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE WHO WAS A PASSENGER IN THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1607
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MURFREESBORO
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37130
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1554 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 3148
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23806
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N22011
NTSB Number ATL83FA174
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 32RT-300T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA 32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7887241
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 26 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 736
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM L. HUNTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2404 HIDDEN LAKE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBIA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMYRNA AVN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BLDG. 624
Operator City SMYRNA
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37167
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 MRC
Departure City COLUMBIA
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MRQ
Destination City SMYRNA
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 --