Piper PA-28-140 accident near Pulaski, Tennessee, August 11, 1995
On August 11, 1995 at about 3:33 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N32420, was destroyed in an accident near Pulaski, Tennessee (Abernathy Field). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM THE BEFORE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST, AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF DUE TO INADEQUATE ACCELERATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL FOR FAILURE TO SAFETY THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL CABLE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISCONNECTION OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL CABLE FROM THE CONTROL ARM AND INADVERTENT PARTIAL ACTIVATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1995 · about 3:33 pm local time
- Place
- Pulaski, Tennessee · Abernathy Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N32420 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7525065
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM AN ENGINE RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, ALL THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY WAS NOT USED, AND WITNESSES REPORTED 'SLUGGISH ACCELERATION.' THE AIRPLANE ROTATED ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 75-100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN A 'VERY HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK.' THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, COLLIDED WITH TREES, THE ROOF OF A BARN, THE GROUND, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS PARTIALLY ENGAGED AND THE CONTROL CABLE WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED FROM THE CONTROL ARM AT THE CARBURETOR HEAT AIR BOX ASSEMBLY. THE CASTELLATED NUT WAS NOT SAFETIED. THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED ABOUT 1 MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL WAS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 1,100 FEET.
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: 126 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 1995; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GZS at 3:32 pm
- Destination: PDK Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,998 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from HSV, 34 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.