Jackson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cullowhee, North Carolina 28723
Sunday, April 28, 1996 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he was on final approach for landing, when the airplane encountered gusty winds, and up/downdrafts. When the airplane was about 100 feet from the threshold, it collided with the terrain after encountering a downdraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. The gusty/crosswind condition was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/28/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CULLOWHEE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28723
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JACKSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 24A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 844
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 145
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 28 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5635Q
NTSB Number MIA96LA133
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 Mooney
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 3016
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 4200
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORY E. OLSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 202 EAST COPE CREEK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SYLVA
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28779
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 VDI
Departure City VIDALIA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 24A
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 14
Runway Length 1900
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --