Piper PA-34-200T accident near Lebanon, Tennessee, July 2, 1991
On July 2, 1991 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N3068B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebanon, Tennessee (Lebanon Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE TOUCHDOWN SPEED, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND HIS FAILURE TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND WHEN A SAFE LANDING COULD NOT BE MADE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WET RUNWAY CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT AND THE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS PREVAILING AT THE AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1991 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Tennessee · Lebanon Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N3068B · registry record · serial 7970013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS DIVERTING TO ANOTHER AIRPORT DUE TO THUNDERSHOWERS AT HIS PLANNED DESTINATION. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, HE REPORTED HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE REPORTED FORWARD VISIBILITY TO BE ZERO AND THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS HYDROPLANING. CROSSWIND CONDITIONS WERE ALSO REPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE IN THE REMAINING RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. THREE WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE PILOT LANDED HALFWAY OR FURTHER DOWN THE 4,000-FOOT LONG RUNWAY AT A FASTER-THAN-NORMAL SPEED.
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
- Flight time: 448 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 448 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hill Aircraft And Leasing CORP
The flight
- Departed from: FTY Atlanta GA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: BNA Nashville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from BNA, 260 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.