Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738
Saturday, February 11, 1995 13:27 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DEPARTED KNOXVILLE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT TO THE GATLINBURG AREA. A FEW MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REQUESTED THE ILS APPROACH TO KNOXVILLE. ABOUT TWO MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL REQUEST, HE REQUESTED IMMEDIATE RADAR VECTORS. THE CONTROLLER REQUESTED THE FLIGHT'S ALTITUDE, BUT THERE WAS NO REPLY FROM THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE 3500 FOOT LEVEL OF RISING TERRAIN SEVEN MILES SOUTHWEST OF GATLINBURG. A HIKER REPORTED HEARING, THE SOUND OF THE ENGINES RUNNING UNTIL THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE HIKER ALSO STATED THAT CLOUDS OBSCURED THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE DISCLOSED THAT WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA 650 FEET LONG AND 75 FEET WIDE. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH RISING TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/11/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1327
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GATLINBURG
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37738
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 2
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 1340 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID GKT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1005
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 708
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 11 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6749S
NTSB Number ATL95FA050
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B60
Aircraft Series Identifier B60
Aircraft Serial Number P519
Certified Max Gross Weight 6775
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 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 5 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2488
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MALONE, EDWARD M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 625 CRIPPLE MULE
Aircraft Owner City KNOXVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37922
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TYS
Departure City KNOXVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1314
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --