Piper PA-24-250 N7457P

Summary

On 30 March 1991 at about 01:14 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7457P, operated by Hannasch, Thomas P., was involved in an accident near Franklin, Tennessee, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 March 1991 at 01:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Franklin, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Nashville Intl. (BNA)

Coordinates

35.8793, -86.9491

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N7457P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hannasch, Thomas P.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lawrenceville → St. Louis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL91FA073

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT A PROPER FUEL TANK FOR FLIGHT, RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE, AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE STOPPAGE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT, AND HIS FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS (ICING).

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO ST. LOUIS. WHILE APPROACHING THE NASHVILLE, TN. AREA, HE ENCOUNTERED ICING CONDITIONS, AND REQUESTED A DESCENT. THE ICING PERSISTED, SO HE REQUESTED AN ILS APPROACH TO NASHVILLE. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ABOUT 12 MILES SSW OF THE NASHVILLE AIRPORT, AFTER THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD LOST POWER, AND WAS STALLING. AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT, AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY OF FUEL, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS STILL IN THE 'LEFT AUX' TANK POSITION. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.