Piper PA-24-250 accident near Franklin, Tennessee, March 30, 1991
On March 30, 1991 at about 1:14 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7457P, was destroyed in an accident near Franklin, Tennessee (Nashville Intl. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT A PROPER FUEL TANK FOR FLIGHT, RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE, AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE STOPPAGE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT, AND HIS FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS (ICING).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1991 · about 1:14 am local time
- Place
- Franklin, Tennessee · Nashville Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7457P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2647
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO ST. LOUIS. WHILE APPROACHING THE NASHVILLE, TN. AREA, HE ENCOUNTERED ICING CONDITIONS, AND REQUESTED A DESCENT. THE ICING PERSISTED, SO HE REQUESTED AN ILS APPROACH TO NASHVILLE. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ABOUT 12 MILES SSW OF THE NASHVILLE AIRPORT, AFTER THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD LOST POWER, AND WAS STALLING. AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT, AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY OF FUEL, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS STILL IN THE 'LEFT AUX' TANK POSITION. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 693 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1991; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LZU Lawrenceville GA at 11:40 pm
- Destination: SUS St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 7,702 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:22 am from BNA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.