Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rabun Gap, Georgia 30568
Friday, October 24, 1997 9:42 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot received a weather briefing, which showed instrument flight rules conditions were present along the route of flight near the destination. An enroute stop was made about 57 miles south of the destination and a special VFR clearance was received to land at the airport due to instrument meteorological conditions. The flight departed for the destination after receiving another special VFR clearance, and after frequency change was approved, no further transmissions were received from the flight. The aircraft wreckage was found at the 4,400-foot msl level on a 4,600-foot msl mountain, 15 miles southeast of the destination. The aircraft had collided with trees while on a northerly heading, in a level attitude, causing separation of the outboard wings. Postcrash examination of the aircraft, flight controls, and engine showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction. At the time of the accident, the weather reporting stations around the crash site were showing broken to overcast ceilings between 3,800 and 4,200 feet msl with visibilities 1.5-5 miles in mist and light rain.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued flight under visual flight rules into known instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain a safe altitude for terrain clearance resulting in the aircraft colliding with trees and the ground on the side of a mountain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 942
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RABUN GAP
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30568
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 10
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID AHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 55
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3100
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) 1.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 400
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 1629
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 28 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1499U
NTSB Number MIA98FA015
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17267166
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 5 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 2186
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT J. BRODIN, SR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1292
Aircraft Owner City FRUITLAND PARK
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34731
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 AHN
Departure City ATHENS
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 909
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1A5
Destination City FRANKLIN
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 --