Piper PA-30 accident near Springfield, Tennessee, July 4, 1989
On July 4, 1989 at about 10:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7554Y, was destroyed in an accident near Springfield, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER WHICH RESULTED IN HIS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1989 · about 10:03 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7554Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-617
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT RECEIVED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING FOR AN IFR FLT AT 7,000 FEET WHICH INCLUDED FORECASTED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG ROUTE OF FLT. A CONVECTIVE SIGMET WAS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR ROUTE OF FLIGHT. IN THE AREA OF SPRINGFIELD, TN, THE FLT WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR TO BE APPROACHING AN AREA OF PRECIPITATION, AND THE PLT STATED IT WAS GETTING 'A LITTLE ROUGH'. DEVIATION AROUND THE WEATHER AND AN ALTITUDE CHANGE, IF NECESSARY, WAS APPROVED BY THE CONTROLLER. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE FLT WAS ADVISED IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A WEATHER AREA AND THAT ADDITIONAL WEATHER AREAS WERE AHEAD. THE FLT WAS LOST FROM RADAR SHORTLY AFTER THIS. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT COME OUT OF AREA OF LIGHTNING AND THUNDER IN A 70 DEGREE NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,252 hours in all; 363 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,194 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,836 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1988; 162 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MWA Marion IL at 8:06 pm
- Destination: L24 Lawrenceville GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:23 pm from BNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.