Piper J5A accident near Arlington, Tennessee, October 22, 1983
On October 22, 1983 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper J5A, registered N35280, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arlington, Tennessee. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Arlington, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N35280 · registry record · serial 5-598
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO BOTH OCCUPANTS, THE ENG LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF AT NIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT HIT A FENCE & METAL POLE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT, A FEMALE PLT, WHO CLAIMED TO BE THE PLT-IN-COMMAND, SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICE. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 71 & 68 DEG. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING WAS PROBABLE AT GLIDE POWER & VISIBLE ICING WAS PROBABLE AT RATED POWER. THE FRONT SEAT PLT HAD HAD HIS PLT'S CERTIFICATE REVOKED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1983; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: M0I Memphis TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:22 am from MEM, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.