Amateur-built SKYBOLT accident near Athens, Tennessee, October 7, 1984
On October 7, 1984 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SKYBOLT, registered N8506C, was destroyed in an accident near Athens, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- October 7, 1984 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKYBOLT
- Registration
- N8506C · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND INVERTED WITH THE RT WING AND NOSE HITTING FIRST. WITNESSES SAID THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE DOING AEROBATICS AND ENTERED A FLAT INVERTED SPIN. THE PLT/OWNER IN THE BACK SEAT HELD AN ATP CERTIFICATEAND REPORTEDLY HAD OVER 1000 HRS SINGLE ENG FLT TIME. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT WAS A PVT PLT WITH ABOUT 300 HRS SINGLE ENG FLT TIME WITH NO SOLO TIME IN THIS MAKE OF ACFT. IT IS UNKNOWN WHO WAS FLYING THE DUAL CONTROL ACFT BUT THE REAR SEAT PLTS LEFT ARM WAS FRACTURED WHILE THE FRONT SEAT PLT HAD NO BROKEN BONES IN THE HANDS OR FEET.
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
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1984; 769 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMI Athens TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.