Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Lebanon, Tennessee, July 2, 2002
On July 2, 2002 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N8143B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebanon, Tennessee (Lebanon Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The certified flight instructor attempted flight with known deficiencies in equipment, inoperative magneto, and subsequent lost engine power and collided with a transmission line while maneuvering for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2002 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Tennessee · Lebanon Muni · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N8143B · registry record · serial 28R-8018030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the engine run-up, it was discovered the engine would quit on the right magneto, and the decision was made to continue the flight. During the take-off the rear seated passenger (commercial rated pilot) recalled the climb attitude of the airplane seemed normal. When the airplane was approximately two hundred feet above the trees he heard the CFI tell the private pilot to "watch the airspeed, and keep it straight". The CFI the flight controls and banked the airplane to the right. The passenger saw a barn and remembered the airplane colliding with a power line. The airplane was examined and it was discovered that the right magneto sparked sporadically when tested. The main advantages of the dual system are: increased safety, in case one magneto system fails, the engine may be operated on the other system until a landing can be made; and improved burning and combustion of the mixture, and consequently improved performance. Review of the pilot-operating handbook did not disclose procedures for operating the airplane with the magnetos switch in the both position.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,675 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,119 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 6, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 1,812 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: M54 Lebanon TN at 7:55 pm
- Destination: M54 Lebanon TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from KBNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.