Piper PA-28-140 accident near Tullahoma, Tennessee, September 1, 1991
On September 1, 1991, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5568U, was destroyed in an accident near Tullahoma, Tennessee (Tullahoma Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENGINE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1991
- Place
- Tullahoma, Tennessee · Tullahoma Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5568U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26465
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE THAT DAY AND WAS PREPARING FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT WITH HIS SON. ALL GROUND CHECKS WERE NORMAL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE OBSERVED A DECREASE IN ENGINE RPM. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND CHECKED THE MAGS, CARB HEAT, AND MIXTURE. WITH TREES AHEAD, HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE AND FORCED LANDED IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP, AND WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT. THE MAGS, CARBURETOR, AND ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. FIRE DAMAGE PREVENTED ANY TESTING OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL. THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 1,175 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,274 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1991; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 am from THA, 1 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.