Piper PA-24-250 accident near Lake Hills, Tennessee, October 22, 1983
On October 22, 1983 at about 3:21 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5763P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Hills, Tennessee (Lovell Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- October 22, 1983 · about 3:21 am local time
- Place
- Lake Hills, Tennessee · Lovell Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5763P · no longer on the register · serial 24-841
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ACFT'S RADIO TRANSMITTER BECAME INOP; HOWEVER, THE PLT COULD RECEIVE TRANSMISSIONS & WAS PROVIDED VECTORS TOWARD THE DESTINATION ARPT. AFTER STARTING A DESCENT NEAR THE DESTINATION, THE ENG LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DITCHED IN THE TENNESSEE RIVER. A WATER LAND ENG WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE OF THE ROUGH TERRAINS & DARKNESS. AFTER THE WATER LANDING, ALL 4 OCCUPANTS EXITED THE ACFT WHILE IT WAS STILL FLOATING. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, NONE RECEIVED INJURIES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS COULD NOT SWIM. SHE & ONE OTHER PASSENGER WERE PRESUMED TO HAVE DROWNED. AFTER THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED, ONLY RIVER WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN ABOUT 4 HRS & 6 MIN PRIOR TO CRASHING. FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE FLT AS ESTIMATED TO BE 60.27 GAL. THE FUEL CAPACITY FOR THE ACFT WAS 60 GAL. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS BRIEFED TO EXPECT IMC CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLT. DURING THE FLT, HE HAD CRUISED AT 8000 FT. AT CHATTANOOGA, THE CEILING WAS 3000 FT.
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
- Flight time: 896 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 896 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,476 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 1983; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7D2 Troy MI
- Destination: CHA Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20, 7,401 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:46 am from CHA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.