Piper PA-28-140 accident near Maryville, Tennessee, November 20, 1993
On November 20, 1993 at about 6:24 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N420FL, was destroyed in an accident near Maryville, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION PRIOR TO REACHING THE PLANNED DESTINATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1993 · about 6:24 am local time
- Place
- Maryville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N420FL · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125200
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING FROM SANFORD, FL, TO KNOXVILLE, TN. DURING THE DESCENT INTO KNOXVILLE, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK (THE RIGHT TANK INDICATED EMPTY) AND WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN FULL POWER. THE ENGINE THEN QUIT AGAIN. WHEN HE ROCKED THE WINGS, THE ENGINE STARTED MOMENTARILY, THEN QUIT AGAIN. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN POWER ON THE ENGINE, HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE. THE WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ON POWER LINES NEXT TO A ROAD. THE LEFT WING WAS SEVERED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING IMPACT. PERSONNEL AT THE SITE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF SPILLED FUEL. THE FUEL TANKS WERE RUPTURED AND FREE OF FUEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TOOK OFF WITH 50 GALLONS OF FUEL, AND 6 GAL. WAS INDICATED IN THE LEFT TANK WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DURATION WAS 5.7 HOURS. 75 PERCENT (CRUISE POWER) FUEL CONSUMPTION IS 8.4 GALLONS/HR.
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: 222 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 198 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,766 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1993; 139 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Training Associates
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL
- Destination: TYS Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; not recorded at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:32 am from TYS, 2 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.