Piper PA-31-350 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, August 10, 1984
On August 10, 1984 at about 9:09 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N66AU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville Metro airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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 10, 1984 · about 9:09 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N66AU · registry record · serial 31-7405178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTEDLY SET UP A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT ON FINAL APPROACH SO THAT HE COULD LAND THE AIRCRAFT NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY TO AVOID EXCESSIVE BRAKING ON THE WET RWY. THE PILOT DESCENDED THE AIRCRAFT BELOW THE GLIDE SLOPE PROVIDED BY THE VASI AND WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT BEFORE GROUND CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 12 FEET SHORT OF THE RWY IN WET GROUND. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE RWY EDGE AND SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,513 hours in all; 740 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 2,348 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,596 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHS Charleston SC at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20L, 4,304 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from BNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.