# NTSB MIA90FA014: Piper PA-28R-200, N5005S, Athens, TN, October 18, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: October 18, 1989, 19:02 local (23:02 UTC)
- Place: Athens, TN
- Coordinates: 35.449371, -84.599014 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4494&lon=-84.5990&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 5, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32531
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA90FA014
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32531/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90FA014

## Probable cause

LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT DESCENDING SPIRAL.  LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION (ACTUAL INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS) WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, descent - normal
  - light condition - dusk
  - weather condition - clouds
  - weather condition - low ceiling
  - descent - initiated
  - spiral - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

DRG AN IFR FLT AT 8000' MSL IN IMC CONDS, THE PLT WAS CLEARED BY ATC TO DSCND & MAINT 4000'. HE ACKNOWLEGED. APRX 2 MIN LATER, HE WAS ADZD THAT RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & WAS TOLD TO CONTACT APCH CONTROL ON ANOTHER FREQ. THE PLT'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WAS UNINTELLIGIBLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST & IT CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT. BEFORE THE ACDNT, A WITNESS HEARD THE ACFT CIRCLING OVERHEAD. INITIALLY, HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ACFT DUE TO CLOUDS, THEN HE SAW THE ACFT COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS IN A STEEP DIVE. HE SAID THE NOSE OF THE ACFT APPEARED TO PULL UP JUST BEFORE IMPACT. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN A SPIRALING DSCNT BEFORE IT CRASHED. THE PLT HAD JUST RCVD AN INSTRUMENT RATING ON 9/20/89. THIS WAS HIS 1ST KNOWN FLT IN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT CONDS SINCE HE HAD RCVD HIS NEW RATING. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND, ALTHOUGH IT WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY IMPACT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5005S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5005S-2013-03-19), registration cancelled 2013-03-19, S/N 28R-35729, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-200
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28R35729
- Airframe hours: 5239
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Delta Plus,Inc
- Registered owner: Delta Plus Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 10, 1988, 178 hours before
- Departed: MOR, MORRISTOWN, TN
- Destination: HDI, CLEVELAND, TN
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 435 total, 202 in this make and model, 255 as pilot in command, 52 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dusk
- Wind: 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 600 ft broken
- Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: TYS, 36 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19891018041419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891018041419A), Oct 18, 1989: Piper PA28R200, Athens, TN, Destroyed, 2 fatal. First actual instrument flight after certification. Lost control spatial disorientation entered spiral and crashed.

## Other investigations on N5005S (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 ATL81DID06](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL81DID06), Dec 12, 1980: Piper PA-28R (N5005S), Gloucester, VA, substantial damage

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.

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