Douglas DC3C-S1C3G accident near Memphis, Tennessee, August 11, 1984
On August 11, 1984 at about 6:01 am local time, a Douglas DC3C-S1C3G, registered N70003, was destroyed in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 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
- August 11, 1984 · about 6:01 am local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC3C-S1C3G · all DC3C-S1C3Gs on the register
- Registration
- N70003 · no longer on the register · serial 12938
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
MOMENTS AFTER THE DC-3 TOOK OFF, THE TWR CTLR NOTED THE L ENG WAS TORCHING & ASKED THE FLT IF IT WAS 'HAVING A PROBLEM.'THE CREW REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE,' THEN THE CTLR CLRD THE FLT TO LND ON ANY RWY. THE ACFT BEGAN TURNING LEFT AT THE END OF THE RWY & CONTD TURNING AT LOW ALT UNTIL IT STRUCK UTILITY POLES & CRASHED THRU A WAREHOUSE ROOF ABOUT 2 MI FM THE ARPT.A WITNESS RPRTD THE ACFT WAS AT AN ALT OF APRX 100 TO 150 FT AGL, THE L PROP WAS FEATHERED & THE R ENG WAS AT FULL PWR. AN EXAM OF THE L ENG DISCLOSED THE #14 CYLINDER WAS MISSING A SPARK PLUG FM THE FRONT SPARK PLUG HOLE. THE SPARK PLUG LEAD & 'B' NUT WERE ATTACHED TO THE IGNITION HARNESS, BUT NO PLUG WAS ATTACHED TO THE LEAD. THE SPARK PLUG HOLE & B-NUT THREADS WERE UNDAMAGED. A WHITE DEPOSIT WAS FND INSIDE THE CYLINDER SPARK PLUG THREADS & OUTSIDE THE CYLINDER, ADJACENT TO THE HOLE. THE DEPOSIT WAS IDENTIFIED TO CONTAIN HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF LEAD & BROMINE, MOST LIKELY FORMED FROM EXHAUST GASES & FUEL DURING CYLINDER OPERATION. A COMPANY MECHANIC RPRTDLY WORKED ON THE PLUGS ON THE PREVIOUS DAY.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,247 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 21, 1984; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,900 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1830-94 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aviation Enterprises,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 6:00 am
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36R, 8,400 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 am from MEM, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.