Piper PA-28-151 accident near Rogersville, Tennessee, April 25, 2003
On April 25, 2003 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N43266, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rogersville, Tennessee (Rogersville Hawkins County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The rupture of the carburetor float, which resulted in the loss of engine power and subsequent on ground collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2003 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rogersville, Tennessee · Rogersville Hawkins County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N43266 · registry record · serial 28-7415460
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, shortly after liftoff from runway 25, the airplane climbed to 300 feet, and the engine lost power. The pilot continued on the runway heading and the airplane made a forced landing in a small field. During the emergency landing rollout, the airplane rolled approximately 50 feet and collided with a stand of trees. Examination of the downed airplane revealed that the leading edge of the left wing had crush damage with tree bark on the wing. During the examination of the downed airplane the carburetor was disassembled. The seams of the carburetor floats had separated and fuel was observed in the open cavity.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,682 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 134 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,570 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 21, 2003; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E30 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RVN Rogersville TN at 10:58 pm
- Destination: TRI Bristol TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 250, 3,502 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from TRI, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.