Piper PA-28-140 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, June 8, 2006
On June 8, 2006 at about 5:27 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N3454K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Cornelia Fort Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper installation of the fuel line by maintenance personnel which resulted in the fuel line disconnecting and a loss of engine power during approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2006 · about 5:27 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Cornelia Fort Airpark
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3454K · no longer on the register · serial 28-23562
- 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, the airplane was topped with fuel before a 30-minute local flight on June 4, 2006. On June 8th, the day of the accident, the airplane departed the Cornelia Fort Airpark for Smithville, Tennessee, a distance of 45 nautical miles. After a brief time on the ground in Smithville the airplane departed for the return trip to Cornelia Fort Airpark. The pilot reported that on takeoff he smelled fuel but that the smell dissipated after he leveled off. About 20 minutes into the flight the smell of fuel returned and that the fuel pressure began to drop. The pilot switched to the left tank and the fuel smell subsided and the fuel pressure stabilized. As the airplane neared the destination airport the fuel pressure began to drop again. The engine lost power while the airplane was on a downwind leg for runway 04. The pilot switched fuel tanks again but was unable to get the engine restarted. The pilot made an off-airport landing in dense brush and small trees short of the runway. Examination of the engine found the outlet fuel line from the engine-driven fuel pump to the carburetor disconnected at the fuel pump fitting. Fresh insect debris was found in the line and evidence indicated it entered the line after the accident and prior to examination. The debris was cleared from the line and the line was reconnected. The engine was primed and started. The engine started immediately and was run at 1,200 RPM for a few minutes before being shut down. The engine had been modified to deliver 160 HP and at that time had the fuel flow transducer installed in the fuel line between the fuel pump and carburetor. The aircraft had flown 49.5 hours since the modification which was done during the last annual inspection on September 5, 2005.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 477 hours in all; 384 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,262.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2005; 49.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0A3 Smithville TN at 4:40 pm
- Destination: M88 Nashville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 13 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BNA, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.