Piper PA-31-350 accident near Elizabethton, Tennessee, April 7, 1994
On April 7, 1994 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N64LB, was destroyed in an accident near Elizabethton, Tennessee (Elizabethton Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE CLOUDS AND OBSCURATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1994 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Elizabethton, Tennessee · Elizabethton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N64LB · registry record · serial 31-7852127
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP AND HIS PASSENGER WERE EN ROUTE TO PICK UP A PATIENT FOR TRANSPORT TO A VA HOSPITAL. THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS UNCONTROLLED, AND VFR ONLY. THE PILOT CANCELLED WITH ATC AND REPORTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THE AIRPORT WAS REPORTING VFR CONDITIONS, BUT RISING, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN EXISTED TO THE NORTHEAST, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORTED THAT THE TOP THIRD OF THE MOUNTAIN WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS DURING THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT. AFTER CANCELLING IFR, NO SUBSEQUENT RADIO CALLS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE FLIGHT, AND THE FLIGHT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SEVERAL HOURS LATER NEAR THE CREST OF HOLSTON MOUNTAIN, 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE HOLSTON MTN VOR. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED UPSLOPING, WOODED TERRAIN, WHILE AT A CLIMB ANGLE OF 8 DEGREES. DISINTEGRATION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS INDICATIVE OF A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,800 hours in all; 7,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,910 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 1993; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Augusta Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DNL Augusta GA at 10:50 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from 0A9, 5 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.