Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Madison, Virginia 22727
Saturday, May 16, 1992 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS EN ROUTE TO HIS GRANDDAUGHTER'S GRADUATION EXERCISES SCHEDULED FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY. HE HAD RECEIVED TWO PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFINGS FROM FLIGHT SERVICE AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED EN ROUTE, AND INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT HIS DESTINATION, AND THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. A WITNESS WHO WAS BELOW THE MOUNTAIN SAID HE HEARD A LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT OVERHEAD. HE STATED THAT HE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE AIRPLANE AND SAID IT WAS 'WELL BELOW THE CREST OF THE MOUNTAIN' HEADING SOUTH. THE WEATHER AS REPORTED BY THE WITNESS WAS ABOUT 200 OVERCAST AND VISIBILITY BELOW 1 MILE IN FOG. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE CLOUDS HAD OBSCURED THE MOUNTAIN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE HEARD WHAT WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE THE COLLISION. SEARCH PERSONNEL LOCATED THE BURNING WRECKAGE ON TOP OF MITCHELLS MOUNTAIN 50 MILES NORTH OF CHARLOTTESVILLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT INITIATED VFR FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LOW CEILING, HIGH TERRAIN, AND LOW ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MADISON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22727
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2251
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 16 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47023
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30RR
NTSB Number BFO92FA064
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 65
Aircraft Series Identifier 65
Aircraft Serial Number LC186
Certified Max Gross Weight 7700
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 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MC GEE TIMBER CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3328 TREXLER BLVD
Aircraft Owner City ALLENTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18105
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MC GEE, JOHN J.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3328 TREXLER BLVD
Operator City ALLENTOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 18105
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 ABE
Departure City ALLENTOWN
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1237
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CHO
Destination City CHARLOTTESVILLE
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --