Smith, Ted Aerostar 600-A accident near Florala, Alabama, August 29, 1983
On August 29, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar 600-A, registered N139TS, was destroyed in an accident near Florala, Alabama (Florala airport). It was a business 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
- August 29, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Florala, Alabama · Florala · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar 600-A
- Registration
- N139TS · registry record · serial 139
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF ROLL HE EXPERIENCED A POWER SURGE BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT QUIT. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF BY REDUCING POWER ON BOTH ENGINES AND APPLYING BRAKES. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT SWERVING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, ROLLING THRU THE GRASS AND STRIKING A CULVERT WHICH SEPARATED THE LANDING GEAR. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION REVEALED: BOTH THROTTLES AT IDLE, MIXTURE AND PROP CONTROLS WERE FULL FORWARD AND FULL RICH AND HIGH RPM ON RESPECTIVE ENGINE CONTROLS. ALL CABLES ATTACHING HARDWARE WAS INTACT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,616 hours in all; 430 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 4,423 as pilot in command; 187 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1982; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Crestview FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,200 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; scat
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from CEW, 25 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.