Crossville Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sparta, Tennessee 38583
Saturday, November 15, 1997 16:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was briefed earlier in the day that VFR flight was not recommended due in part to mountain obscurement and also due to the freezing level. The flight departed then remained in the traffic pattern and landed due to rain. The flight remained on the ground about 2 hours and while waiting, the pilot was advised by the airport manager how to fly out of the mountains by following a road westbound while flying at 2,300 feet (500-600 feet agl). According to the passenger, the flight departed using that instruction and after being airborne about 10 minutes, the flight entered a fog bank or cloud. The pilot then began banking to the left and during the turn, the passenger noted that the altimeter indicated 2,100 feet. While descending the airplane collided with a tree then the ground. Examination of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed no evidence of flight control preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. The pilot was not instrument rated but had accumulated about 43 hours simulated instrument time. According to his flight instructor, the pilot had a tendency to lose altitude during turns while wearing a vision restricting hood which simulated instrument conditions. The instructor also stated that the accident pilot would lose concentration and would be easily overloaded during simulated instrument flight. The passenger stated that both were tired, and the pilot wanted to get home and off the mountain.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight and inflight decision and his inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors are self induced pressure, mountainous terrain, and low clouds.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SPARTA
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38583
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CROSSVILLE MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CSV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 17
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID CSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1881
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1557
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 15 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1913
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N78952
NTSB Number MIA98LA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 1986
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Nov 13 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 3765
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PHILIP M. DODDERIDGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1 BOX 54
Aircraft Owner City BLUEMONT
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22012
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN W. MCDONALD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 4 BOX 235-99
Operator City TERRELL
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75160
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CSV
Departure City CROSSVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1620
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PBF
Destination City PINE BLUFF
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --