Piper PA-28-140 accident near Asheville, North Carolina, July 17, 1983
On July 17, 1983 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N55703, was substantially damaged in an accident near Asheville, North Carolina. 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 conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- July 17, 1983 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Asheville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55703 · registry record · serial 28-7325462
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED ON A X-COUNTRY FLT WITHOUT OBTAINING A WX BRIEFING. HE INDICATED THAT DURING THE FLT, HE WAS FLYING OVER A BROKEN SKY CONDITION & REPORTED THAT THE VOR WENT BAD. AFTER FLYING ABOUT 5 HRS, HE BECAME UNSURE OF HIS LOCATION. WITH THE FUEL RUNNING LOW, THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE ACFT WAS SPACED ABOUT 300 FT BEHIND A TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PLT LOST CONTROL & THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY & NOSED OVER. THE PLT BELIEVED THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE BEHIND THE TRUCK. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED & REPORTED ONLY 1.5 HRS OF INSTRUMENT TIME.
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: 864 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,090 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1983; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8W2 New Market VA
- Destination: HDI Cleveland TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from AVL, 5 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.