# Accident 19971011037889A: Piper PA28180, Knoxville, TN, October 11, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 11, 1997, 20:51 local time
- Place: Knoxville, TN
- Airport: Knoxville Downtown Island Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.9105° N, 83.8709° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9105&lon=-83.8709&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15331, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15331-1998-01-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28180
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 461 total, 199 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98FA010) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971011037889A

## Narrative

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

TOOK OFF AT NIGHT OVER RIVER. SEEN WOBBLING NOSE HIGH TO CLEAR A BRIDGE STALLED INTO RIVER. ADVANCED HEART DISEASE. (-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^                                                                            IN THE ATTEMPT TO AVOID AN IMMINENT COLLISION WITH THE BRIDGE THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY PULLED BACK ON THE AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHEEL TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THIS ACTION CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL TO THE LEFT AND FALL INTO THE TENNESSEE RIVER, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF ALL THREE PERSONS ABOARD.

## 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 MIA98FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98FA010), Oct 12, 1997: Piper PA-28-180 (N15331), Knoxville, TN, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, while climbing after takeoff, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with the water.

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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