Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Talladega, Alabama 35160
Thursday, June 27, 1996 9:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During flight, the airplane collided with an 18 foot section of an antenna that was installed on top of a U.S. Forest Service fire watch tower. The airplane then crashed about 300 feet north of the tower, and wreckage was found scattered over an area approximately 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. The airplane wreckage and engine compartment were further damaged by ground fire. Debris from the watch tower antenna was located in the main wreckage, and some antenna debris was also found several feet north of the main wreckage. No preimpact mechanical problem was found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to see-and-avoid an antenna that was mounted on a Forest Service watch tower. The pilot's excessively low altitude flight was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/27/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TALLADEGA
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35160
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
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 750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID AND
Elevation of weather observation facility 611
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 925
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) 1788
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N95396
NTSB Number ATL96FA096
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 152-85882
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99
Airframe Hours 6325
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FJO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1815 ALLIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City CHATTANOOGA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37406
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CHA
Departure City CHATTANOOGA
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 651
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MGM
Destination City MONTGOMERY
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --