Piper PA-28-140 accident near Gainesboro, Tennessee, October 5, 2009
On October 5, 2009, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N95472, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Gainesboro, Tennessee (Jackson County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees. Contributing to the accident were the rising terrain and night light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2009
- Place
- Gainesboro, Tennessee · Jackson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N95472 · no longer on the register · serial 28-25980
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a visual flight rules cross-county flight, the pilot elected to make an unscheduled landing to obtain updated weather information. The pilot subsequently elected to depart from runway 36, a 3,500-foot-long, unlighted, asphalt runway. It was a dark night and the pilot used glow sticks to illuminate points around the runway. The pilot reported that the takeoff and initial climb were normal, but that he did not have any further recollection of the flight. The airplane subsequently impacted trees along rising terrain northwest of the airport, substantially damaging the airplane. A witness who heard the airplane depart stated that the engine noise was "loud" with no fluctuations. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The pilot received his private pilot certificate about 3 months prior to the accident and reported about 120 hours of total flight experience.
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
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 120 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 26, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,532 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1A7 Gainesboro TN at 1:15 am
- Destination: MBT Murfreesboro TN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from CSV, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N95472 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.