Cornwell KR-2 accident near Covington, Tennessee, September 18, 1993
On September 18, 1993 at about 2:08 am local time, a Cornwell KR-2, registered N289DC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Tennessee (Covington Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED OBSTACLE CLEARANCE ON FINAL APPROACH. FACTORS WERE, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE PILOT'S DEFECTIVE DISTANT VISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1993 · about 2:08 am local time
- Place
- Covington, Tennessee · Covington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cornwell KR-2
- Registration
- N289DC · no longer on the register · serial 7748
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WIFE, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MORGANTOWN LATER THAN PLANNED; INTENTIONS WERE TO ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT BEFORE SUNSET. REPORTEDLY THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND ALL SYSTEMS APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. BUT, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE ABOUT 1/4 MILE OF SOUTH RUNWAY 1. THE PILOT'S WIFE COULD NOT RECALL ANY OF THE EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO THE TREE COLLISION. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. SUNSET ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 1908 HOURS. A REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S MEDICAL HISTORY REVEALED THAT HE WAS ISSUED A STATEMENT OF DEMONSTRATED ABILITY WAIVER ON 9/4/90 FOR DEFECTIVE DISTANT VISION, RIGHT EYE 20/400 CORRECTED TO 20/100.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1915CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGW Morgantown WV at 5:00 pm
- Destination: M04
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,998 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.