Piper PA-28-140 N588FL

Summary

On 12 February 1989 at about 21:40 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N588FL, operated by Marion Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Jasper, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 February 1989 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Jasper, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

35.0493, -85.6198

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N588FL

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Marion Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jasper → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89FA086

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT CONTROLS AT LOW ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT AND COLLISION WITH A TREE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING LOW ALTITUDE MANEUVERS OVER THE PLTS SISTER'S HOUSE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY MADE 1 OR 2 DESCENDING LEFT TURNS. THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AT LESS THAN 100 FT AGL, WHICH LED TO AN INCREASED DESCENT RATE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A 30 FT HIGH TREE LOCATED ON THE SOUTH END OF A NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED ROW OF TREES, WHILE ON A NORTHERLY HDG. THE BANK ANGLE AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WAS BETWEEN 45 & 60 DEGREES. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. A NEPHEW OF THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE PLT HAD PERFORMED LOW ALTITUDE TURN MANEUVERS OVER HOUSE ON PRIOR OCCASIONS WHICH CULMUNATED IN PULL-UPS NEAR GROUND LEVEL. POST- MORTEM EXAM OF THE PLT BY A PATHOLOGIST REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY CONDITION WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSALLY RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.