Piper PA-24-260B accident near Mcdonald, Tennessee, December 13, 1983
On December 13, 1983, a Piper PA-24-260B, registered N8981P, was destroyed in an accident near Mcdonald, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- December 13, 1983
- Place
- Mcdonald, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260B · all PA-24-260Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8981P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4440
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED 2 WX BRIEFINGS BEFORE TAKEOFF & WAS PROVIDED FLT PRECAUTIONS OF IMC TO CONTINUE BEYOND 0900 EST. ALSO, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE MOUNTAINS WOULD BE OCCASIONALLY OBSCURED & ICING COULD BE EXPECTED TO THE WEST BELOW 6000 FT. DURING BOTH BRIEFINGS, HE REPORTED HIS INTENTIONS TO FLY UNDER IFR; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN. AFTER HIS LAST BRIEFING, HE SAID HE WOULD CALL BACK AFTER REVIEWING HIS CHARTS. BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PLT ADVISED GROUND CONTROL HE PLANNED TO CRUISE 'JUST AROUND 1100, RIGHT UNDER THE DECK.' HE TOOK OFF AT APRX 0845. AT 0853, RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED, 9 MI EAST OF THE ARPT & NO FURTHER CONTACT WAS MADE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 75 FT BELOW THE SUMMIT OF WHITE OAK MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 10 MI NE OF THE ARPT. AN EXAM REVEALED THE ACFT MAD IMPACTED IN AN APPARENT NOSE LEVEL, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE EVIDENT. LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORTED LOW CLOUDS WHICH OBSCURED THE HILL TOPS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,526 hours in all; 710 in this make and model; 1,416 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,648 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CHA Chattanooga TN at 1:45 pm
- Destination: 5A1 Marion VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 pm from CHA, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N8981P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.