# Accident 20171107018369A: Piper PA-32-300, Mcminnville, TN, November 7, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 7, 2017, 19:20 local time
- Place: Mcminnville, TN
- Airport: Warren County Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6528° N, 85.9164° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6528&lon=-85.9164&mi=10
- Aircraft: N47831, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47831-2020-02-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 150 total, 150 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA18FA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171107018369A

## Narrative

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

ON NOVEMBER 7, 2017, ABOUT 1845 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300, N47831, WAS DESTROYED AFTER IT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR MORRISON, TENNESSEE. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WERE FATALLY INJURED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED FROM MONROE COUNTY

AEROPLEX AIRPORT (MVC), MONROEVILLE, ALABAMA, AROUND 1625. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AND WAS DESTINED

FOR WARREN COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT (RNC), MCMINNVILLE, TENNESSEE.

ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DATA PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA), THE CONTROLLER CLEARED THE AIRPLANE FOR THE RNAV RUNWAY 23 APPROACH INTO RNC AND SWITCHED TO COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF). A RADAR TARGET IDENTIFIED AS THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH AND REQUESTED A CLEARANCE TO UPPER CUMBERLAND REGIONAL AIRPORT (SRB), SPARTA, TENNESSEE. THE CONTROLLER RADAR IDENTIFIED THE AIRPLANE, ISSUED A CLIMB TO 5,000 FEET, A CLEARANCE TO SRB, AND ISSUED THE WEATHER FOR SRB. THEN, A PILOT ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE QUESTIONED THE WEATHER AND STATED THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO RETRIEVE THE WEATHER FOR SRB FROM THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEM AT THE AIRPORT. THE RADAR TARGET REACHED 5,000 FEET AND MADE A TURN TOWARD SRB. THEN, ONE OF THE PILOTS DECLARED A MAYDAY AND THE RADAR TARGET WAS OBSERVED IN A RAPID DESCENT BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST.

## 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 ERA18FA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA016), Nov 8, 2017: Piper PA 32 (N47831), Morrison, TN, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilots' loss of control during a missed approach in night instrument meteorological conditions as a result of spatial disorientation.

## Other reports on N47831 (1)

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

- [Accident 19810214005459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810214005459A), Feb 14, 1981: Piper PA32300 (N47831), North Shore, CA, Substantial damage. Crash-landed in desert. Airplane had been stolen by unknown party.

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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