Andrews-Murphy Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Andrews, North Carolina 28901
Friday, March 14, 1997 20:41 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot did not obtain a formal weather briefing before departure. While en route during an IFR flight, the pilot changed his destination. The flight proceeded to a nearby VOR, then nearly over the airport, and after flying past the airport the pilot advised the controller that he would orbit in that area to look for a break in the clouds. He observed a hole in the clouds, so advised the controller, and canceled his IFR clearance. While descending over mountainous terrain, the airplane first collided with trees on the upslope side of the mountain about 3,200 feet mean sea level. The airplane continued descending in a left wing low attitude and collided with the downslope side of the mountain. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The weather at the destination airport, with an elevation of 1,700 feet, and about 41 minutes before the crash, was a broken ceiling of about 2,000 feet above ground level, as reported by a pilot-witness.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's poor in-flight planning in attempting to maintain VFR conditions at night over mountainous terrain, and his failure to maintain clearance from the mountain. Contributing to the accident was: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning for not obtaining a formal weather briefing, and his self-induced pressure to arrive before a specific time for the start of a planned event.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/14/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2041
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ANDREWS
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28901
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANDREWS-MURPHY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6A3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 36
Airport Elevation 1700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2053 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 349
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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) 450
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1402
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8857P
NTSB Number MIA97FA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4314
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 10 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 326
Airframe Hours 5680
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL J. MANSOUR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1508 PROVIDENCE LANE
Aircraft Owner City WARNER ROBINS
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31088
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 ATL
Departure City ATLANTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1953
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 6A3
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --