# Accident 19891018041419A: Piper PA28R200, Athens, TN, October 18, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 18, 1989, 19:02 local time
- Place: Athens, TN
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.4494° N, 84.5990° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4494&lon=-84.5990&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5005S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5005S-2013-03-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200
- Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 435 total, 202 in this make and model, 52 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA90FA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90FA014) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891018041419A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

FIRST ACTUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT AFTER CERTIFICATION. LOST CONTROL SPATIAL DISORIENTATION ENTERED SPIRAL AND CRASHED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA90FA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90FA014), Oct 18, 1989: Piper PA-28R-200 (N5005S), Athens, TN, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT DESCENDING SPIRAL. LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION…

## Other reports on N5005S (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19801212075969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19801212075969A), Dec 12, 1980: Piper PA28R200 (N5005S), Gloucester, VA, Substantial damage. Flight instructor allowed student to make hard landing. Collapsed nose gear. Pushed right gear strut through wing.
- [Incident 19780625035859I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780625035859I), Jun 25, 1978: Piper PA28/ (N5005S), Norfolk, VA, Minor damage. Pilot parking on a sod area at a strange airport taxied into a sewer manhole with a rotted wooden cover.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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