Piper PA-34-200 accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, April 28, 1984
On April 28, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N1027U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people 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
- April 28, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Smyrna, Tennessee · Smyrna
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1027U · no longer on the register · serial 34-7250007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI SIMULATED AN ENGINE FAILURE ON THE RIGHT ENGINE DURING TAKEOFF AFTER HAVING SIMULATED A LEFT ENGINE FAILURE DURING THE LANDING APPROACH. THE LEFT ENGINE FAILURE WAS SIMULATED WITH THE LEFT THROTTLE RETARDED DURING THE APPROACH AND LANDING. AFTER THE THROTTLES WERE ADVANCED FOR TAKEOFF THE CFI SIMULATED RIGHT ENGINE FAILURE AT 85 MPH BY USING THEMIXTURE TO IDLE CUT OFF. WHEN THE STUDENT RESPONDED BY CLOSING BOTH THROTTLES TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. MIXTURES AND THROTTLES WERE THEN REPORTEDLY ADVANCED AND THE ACFT CLIMBED TO 100 FT AT 100 MPH. A WITNESS REPORTED THE ACFT WITH THE RIGHT WING HIGH, DRIFTING LEFT, AND THEN SUDDENLY LEVELING THE WINGS AND NOSE DOWN TO GROUND CONTACT. THE CFI SAID HE TOOK OVER AT 85 MPH AS THE ACFT TURNED LEFT, ROLLED BOTH WINGS LEVEL, CLOSED BOTH THROTTLES AND LANDED OFF THE RWY. THE LANDING GEAR WAS COMING UP AT TOUCHDOWN. THE CFI THOUGHT THE LEFT ENGINE MAY HAVE LOADED UP AND NOT RESPONDED DURING THE LAST TAKEOFF.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,230 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 3,060 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,621 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 1983; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 8,037 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from BNA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.