- Date
- July 4, 1989, 17:03 local (22:03 UTC)
- Place
- Springfield, TN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7554YPiper PA-30
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890704019429A
- Case key
- 7904
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 decision to continue flight into an area of known adverse weather which resulted in his ability to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing factor(s) was: the adverse weather conditions.
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
Plt received a full weather briefing for an IFR flt at 7,000 feet which included forecasted thunderstorms along route of flt. A convective SIGMET was also in effect for route of flight. In the area of Springfield, TN, the flt was observed on radar to be approaching an area of precipitation, and the plt stated it was getting 'a little rough'. Deviation around the weather and an altitude change, if necessary, was approved by the controller. A few minutes later the flt was advised it was in the middle of a weather area and that additional weather areas were ahead. The flt was lost from radar shortly after this. Witnesses reported seeing the acft come out of area of lightning and thunder in a 70 degree nose low attitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7554Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-617
- Airframe hours
- 1,836
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John L. Hart
- Registered owner
- John L Hart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 1988 · 162 hours before
- Departed
- MWA · Marion, IL
- Destination
- L24 · Lawrenceville, GA
- 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
- 45
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,252 total · 363 in this make and model · 1,194 as pilot in command · 107 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BNA
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 N7554Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.