Piper PA-30 accident near Dayton, Tennessee, March 8, 1990
On March 8, 1990 at about 2:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7123Y, was destroyed in an accident near Dayton, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL USE OF AN AUTOPILOT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES. THE PILOT KNOWINGLY RELIED ON THIS AUTOPILOT WHICH MALFUNCTIONED IN FLIGHT AND RESULTED IN HIS BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTATED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1990 · about 2:48 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7123Y · registry record · serial 30-142
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD REPORTED LEVEL AT 11,000 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER, WHEN ATC REQUESTED HIS HEADING, HE RESPONDED THAT HE HAD AN AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION. ATC ASKED THE PILOT IF HE WANTED VECTORS. THE PILOT RESPONDED 'PLEASE.' THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED INTO A RIVER IN A STEEP ANGLE ALMOST DIRECTLY BELOW HIS LAST REPORTED POSITION. THE PILOT WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS, WHILE EN ROUTE TO HAVE AUTOPILOT MAINTENANCE. HE WAS KNOWN TO RELY ON HIS AUTOPILOT DURING IFR FLIGHT.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,313 hours in all; 1,770 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CSV Crossville TN at 2:28 pm
- Destination: LEE Leesburg FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from CSV, 27 miles away
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.