- Date
- February 12, 1989, 15:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Jasper, TN
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N588FLPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890212001959A
- Case key
- 7876
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper handling of the airplane flight controls at low altitude which resulted in an excessive rate of descent and collision with a tree.
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 airplane collided with a tree during low altitude maneuvers over the plts sister's house. Witnesses reported that the airplane initially made 1 or 2 descending left turns. The bank angle increased significantly at less than 100 ft AGL, which led to an increased descent rate. The airplane subsequently collided with a 30 ft high tree located on the south end of a north-south oriented row of trees, while on a northerly hdg. The bank angle at the time of impact was between 45 & 60 degrees. Exam of the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-existing mechanical malfunction or failure. A nephew of the plt reported that the plt had performed low altitude turn maneuvers over house on prior occasions which culmunated in pull-ups near ground level. Post- mortem exam of the plt by a pathologist revealed no evidence of any condition which may have been causally related to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N588FL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7125447
- Airframe hours
- 3,247
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Marion Air, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Beaver, Robert J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 2, 1988 · 29 hours before
- Departed
- APT · Jasper, TN
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 67 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA, 21 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.