Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 accident near Dickson, Tennessee, May 29, 1986
On May 29, 1986 at about 8:50 am local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600, registered N260A, was destroyed in an accident near Dickson, Tennessee (Dickson Municipal airport). 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
- May 29, 1986 · about 8:50 am local time
- Place
- Dickson, Tennessee · Dickson Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N260A · registry record · serial 60-496-161
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED ELECTRICAL WIRES AND TREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT THEN DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATOR ROD WAS EXTENDED 2.5 INCHES WHICH CORRELATES WITH A FULL NOSE DOWN SETTING. FURTHER EXAMINATION SHOWED THE BUSS WIRE FOR THE ACTUATOR RETRACT SWITCH WAS DISCONNECTED AT THE RETRACT SWITCH POST. SPLATTERED COPPER WAS FOUND ON THE RETRACT SWITCH INDICATING THE BUSS WIRE HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO HIGH AMPERAGE. THE LIMITATIONS SECTION OF THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR THIS ACFT DOES NOT STATE THAT TAKEOFF IS PROHIBITED WITH INOPERATIVE PITCH TRIM.
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: 1,022 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 846 as pilot in command; 227 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,602 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: M02 Dickson TN at 8:00 am
- Destination: PBI Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:18 am from BNA, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.