North American SNJ accident near Millington, Tennessee, September 11, 1983
On September 11, 1983 at about 4:53 pm local time, a North American SNJ, registered N9789Z, was destroyed in an accident near Millington, Tennessee (Charels Baker airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- September 11, 1983 · about 4:53 pm local time
- Place
- Millington, Tennessee · Charels Baker · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ
- Registration
- N9789Z · no longer on the register · serial AJ731
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TH PLT WAS GIVING FREE RIDES TO SPECTATORS AT AN AIR SHOW. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED MAKING WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LOOP WHICH WAS INITIATED AT A LOW ALTITUDE. AS THE ACFT REACHED THE TOP OF THE LOOP, IT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 1,000 TO 1,200 FT AGL. THE NOSE THEN PITCHED DOWN INTO A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE & CONTINUED UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE PLT HAD NOT RECEIVED AN ACROBATIC COMPETENCY CHECK. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS REVEALED BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL READINGS OF 0.054% TO 0.065%. HOWEVER, THE VITREOUS HUMOR ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS NEGATIVE.
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
- Flight time: 1,876 hours in all; 72 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from MEM
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.