Piper PA-34-200T accident near Covington, Tennessee, April 8, 1995
On April 8, 1995 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N6390C, was destroyed in an accident near Covington, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SUBSEQUENT OVERLOAD FAILURES OF THE STABILATOR AND WING SPARS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1995 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N6390C · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870156
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS MAKING WHAT WAS REPORTED TO BE HIS LAST FLIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE, BECAUSE HE WAS TAKING A JOB AS A COMMUTER PILOT. A CFI, WHO TALKED WITH THE PILOT BEFORE DEPARTURE, REPORTED THAT THE PILOT SAID HE WAS GOING TO 'ROLL THE AIRPLANE.' WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT WING FOLDED BACK, WITH A LOUD BOOMING NOISE. NO INFLIGHT SMOKE OR FIRE WAS REPORTED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT STABILATOR FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD (FAILED DOWN). THE RIGHT WING FAILED AT THE WING ROOT, AND ALSO OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE LEFT WING FAILED OUTBOARD OF THE LEFT ENGINE. WING SPAR EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THERE WAS UPWARD (POSITIVE) BENDING, BUT FAILURE WAS IN THE DOWNWARD DIRECTION. ALL FRACTURE SURFACES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD; THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE OBSERVED. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK INCLUDES THE LIMITATION THAT ALL INTENTIONAL AEROBATIC MANEUVERS ARE PROHIBITED IN THIS AIRPLANE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,186 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 76 in the last 30 days; 1,147 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,731 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 13, 1995; 166 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LHC Arlington TN at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from MEM, 36 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.