Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Robbinsville, North Carolina, June 30, 1986
On June 30, 1986 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N8153C, was destroyed in an accident near Robbinsville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. 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
- June 30, 1986 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Robbinsville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N8153C · registry record · serial 28R-8018037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FLOWN FROM TROY, MI TO KNOXVILLE, TN AND LANDED, BUT IT WAS NOT REFUELED. THE PLT PROCEEDED ON TO THE ASSUME DESTINATION, BUT THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S ORIGINAL FLT PLAN (FROM TROY TO ANDREWS, NC), THE ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE (ETE) FROM KNOXVILLE TO ANDREWS WAS APRX 30 MIN. ABOUT 1 HR & 24 MIN AFTER THE ACFT DEPTD KNOXVILLE, A WITNESS SAW IT AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT PULLED UP, THE WINGS BEGAN ROCKING & THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE, THEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TYS Knoxville TN
- Destination: 6A3 Andrews NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from TYS, 30 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.