Piper PA-32-260 accident near Maynardville, Tennessee, April 27, 1984
On April 27, 1984 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N5502J, was destroyed in an accident near Maynardville, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 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
- April 27, 1984 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Maynardville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N5502J · registry record · serial 32-972
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN AN UNCONTROLLED STATE AFTER THE AIRFRAME FAILED IN FLT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT SPINNING OUT OF THE CLOUDS WITH PARTS OF THE AIRFRAME SEPARATING AS IT DESCENDED. THE WEATHER HAD BEEN DESCRIBED TO THE PLT IN 2 WX BRIEFINGS. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WX WAS 3500 FT OVERCAST WITH TOPS AT 8000 FT MSL, LIGHT TURBULENCE BELOW 10,000 FT, FREEZING LEVEL ABOVE 10,000 FT. THERE WAS A FLT PRECAUTION FOR THUNDERSTORMS. THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF APRX 2000 FT LONG X 50 FT WIDE. PAPER DEBRIS WAS FOUND UP TO 4 MI FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS DIVIDED INTO 2 MAIN SECTIONS WHICH WERE SEPARATED BY A COUNTY ROAD. NE OF THE ROAD WERE PARTS FROM THE EMPENNAGE SECTION. SW OF THE ROAD WERE COMPONENTS FROM THE MAIN FUSELAGE & THE SEPARATED WING ASSEMBLIES.
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: 134 hours in all; 3 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 7, 1984; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Huntsville AL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Harrisonburg VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from TYS, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.