Piper PA-34-200T accident near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, December 12, 1983
On December 12, 1983 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N66MZ, was destroyed in an accident near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee (Lawrenceburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- December 12, 1983 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceburg, Tennessee · Lawrenceburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N66MZ · no longer on the register · serial 34-7570247
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE DESCENT AT LAWRENCEBURG THE ACFT WENT INTO CLOUDS AT 3500 FT. AT 1709 THE ACFT WAS CLEARED FOR AN NDB APPROACH. MINIMUM ALT FOR THE APPROACH IS 1560 FT. FIELD ELEVATION IS 936 FT. THE ACFT WAS BEING TRACKED ON RADAR AND THE LAST CONTACT WAS ABOUT WHERE THE PROCEDURE TURN WOULD BE. THERE WAS NO RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM THE ACFT TO INDICATE ANY TROUBLE. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND ABOUT 10 NM NORTH OF THE ARPT IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT WITH APPARENT ROTATION TO THE LEFT. ALL THE WRECKAGE WAS IN A 60 FT CIRCLE. A REPORTER/PLT HAD HEARD ABOUT THE ACCIDENT AT 1745 AND FLEW TO LAWRENCEBURG. HE MADE THE NDB APPROACH AND NOT BEING VFR AT MDA, HE EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH AND WENT TO MAURY COUNTY ABOUT 20NM NORTH AND LANDED. THE LAWRENCEBURG NDB WAS FLT CHECKED ON 12/14 AND FOUND TO BE SATISFACTORY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 530 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 393 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1983; 924 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental L/TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 10:17 pm
- Destination: 2M2
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from MSL, 35 miles away
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.