Macon County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Franklin, North Carolina 28734
Friday, February 24, 1995 17:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE FLIGHT APPROACHED THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE PILOT REQUESTED LANDING ADVISORIES; RUNWAY 7 WAS THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED A FINAL APPROACH FOR THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE MID-FIELD POINT, AND ONLY SEVERAL FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT EXECUTED A SLIGHT CLIMB. THE CLIMB CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END RUNWAY 25. AT THIS POINT, THE PILOT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND 700 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 25, AND BURNED. AT THE TIME OF THE APPROACH, THE SUN WAS ON THE WESTERN HORIZON. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE DISCLOSED THAT WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA 90 FEET LONG AND 40 FEET WIDE. THE POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRFRAME CENTER SECTION AND EMPENNAGE. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED RESULTING IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL. A FACTOR WAS SUNGLARE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/24/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FRANKLIN
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28734
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 MACON COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1A5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 3020
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1840 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 70
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2300
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) 480
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 24 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
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 Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7972Y
NTSB Number ATL95FA054
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30B
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30B
Aircraft Serial Number 30-1071
Certified Max Gross Weight 3725
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4860
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCN, INC,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7660 SOUTH TAMIAMI TRAIL
Aircraft Owner City SARASOTA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34231
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
Departure City SARASOTA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 1A5
Destination City
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
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 7
Runway Length 4400
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --