Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, Tennessee 37743
Monday, July 11, 1994 23:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO RESERVE DEPUTY SHERIFFS OVERHEARD A REPORT OF A MISSING PERSON ON THEIR RADIO SCANNERS. THE TWO THEN RENTED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE LOCAL AIRPORT AND DEPARTED AT 2030 TO ATTEMPT TO ASSIST IN THE SEARCH. WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANEUVERING AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE RPM INCREASE JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN, IN A STALLED CONDITION, AT THE BASE OF A SMALL VALLEY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient terrain clearance, and his inadvertent stall at low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/11/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37743
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2300 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID GCY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1614
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1441
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 30
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N18714
NTSB Number ATL94FA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15074054
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 5067
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HALE, FRANK R. III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 106 DAFFODIL RD.
Aircraft Owner City RUCKERSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22968
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DESORMEAUX, ROBERT J.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT #7 VICKING MOUNTIAN RD.
Operator City GREENVILLE
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37743
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code GCY
Destination City
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --