Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Piedmont, Alabama 36272
Monday, November 2, 1998 17:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was a 2-leg cross-country from Storm Lake, Iowa, to Carrollton, Georgia, with a stop for fuel at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. According to the survivor, deteriorating visibility from drizzle and sunset caused the pilot to begin a slow descent to maintain visual contact with the ground. The airplane collided with a mountain crest at about the 2,000-foot level. Postcrash examination of the airframe and engine, together with the private-rated pilot/rear seat passenger's statement revealed no malfunctions with the engine, aircraft control, flight instrument, or navigation systems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to continue the flight under visual flight rules into deteriorating visibility, and his failure to maintain altitude clearance with the terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/2/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PIEDMONT
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36272
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
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 1703 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID ANB
Elevation of weather observation facility 612
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1455
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 2 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1347
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N735JZ
NTSB Number MIA99FA027
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 C-182Q
Aircraft Series Identifier C-182Q
Aircraft Serial Number 18265473
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Mar 14 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 1869
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R. A. HOLLINGSWORTH FAMILY LLP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 160 STAR POINT RD.
Aircraft Owner City CARROLLTON
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30116
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CGI
Departure City CAPE GIRARDEAU
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CTJ
Destination City CARROLLTON
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:56PM
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 --