- Date
- March 8, 1990, 09:48 local (14:48 UTC)
- Place
- Dayton, TN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7123YPiper PA-30
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900308003549A
- Case key
- 8116
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 intentional use of an autopilot with known deficiencies. The pilot knowingly relied on this autopilot which malfunctioned in flight and resulted in his becoming spatially disorientated.
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 had reported level at 11,000 ft. a short time later, when ATC requested his heading, he responded that he had an autopilot malfunction. ATC asked the pilot if he wanted vectors. The pilot responded 'please.' There were no further communications with the aircraft. The aircraft impacted into a river in a steep angle almost directly below his last reported position. The pilot was in IMC conditions, while en route to have autopilot maintenance. He was known to rely on his autopilot during IFR flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7123Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-142
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lowell B. Pete
- Registered owner
- Wilma Pete
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1989
- Departed
- CSV · Crossville, TN
- Destination
- LEE · Leesburg, FL
- 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
- 70
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,313 total · 1,770 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CSV, 27 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.