Amateur-built WAGABOND accident near Rossville, Tennessee, September 30, 1991
On September 30, 1991 at about 2:30 pm local time, a amateur-built WAGABOND, registered N42LF, was destroyed in an accident near Rossville, Tennessee (Wolf River airport). 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS A RESULT OF CARBURETOR ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1991 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rossville, Tennessee · Wolf River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WAGABOND
- Registration
- N42LF · registry record · serial 42
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE HOME BUILT AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE OFF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 36 AT THE SMALL SOD AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 600 FEET SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 36. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE RUNNING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS IN THE ON POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE CONDUCIVE TO EXTREME CARBURETOR ICING AT CRUISE AND CLIMB POWER SETTINGS.
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
- Flight time: 800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from MEM, 30 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.