- Date
- October 2, 1988, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- La Follette, TN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7484YPiper PA-30
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 4, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881002042469A
- Case key
- 7853
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported an autopilot problem and was not able to maintain control of the airplane. The airframe components were scattered in a circular pattern. All fractures displayed overload failures. The wreckage examination failed to disclose any system or component failure. The airplane center section was destroyed by the post crash fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7484Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-545
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-B1B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles Russell
- Registered owner
- Charles J Russell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Lansing, MI
- Destination
- Knoxville, TN
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 673 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TYS, 40 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7484Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.