Piper PA-38-112 accident near Jonesboro, Tennessee, May 5, 1982
On May 5, 1982 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N900AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jonesboro, Tennessee (Decker Farm 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1982 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jonesboro, Tennessee · Decker Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N900AA · registry record · serial 38-78A0171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER UTILIZING THE SOUTHWEST RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF AND LANDING THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE LIMP WINDSOCK HAD SHIFTED TO INDICATE USE OF THE NORTHEAST RUNWAY. THE NEXT TAKEOFF WAS THEREFORE MADE TO THE NORTHEAST, WITH AN UPHILL GRADIENT TO THE RUNWAY. AFTER A SLOWER THAN NORMAL ACCELERATION THE AIRCRAFT FINALLY BECAME AIRBORNE WHEN IT PASSED OVER A RISE IN THE RUNWAY. IN AN ATTEMPT TO INCREASE AIRSPEED THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED IN GROUND EFFECT UNTIL IT STRUCK A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND YAWED OUT OF CONTROL.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 651 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 163 in the last 90 days; 517 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,290 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Bristol TN at 2:45 pm
- Destination: TRI Bristol TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 174°F (79°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from TRI, 15 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.