Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blairsville, Georgia 30512
Friday, November 20, 1992 14:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PREFLIGHT, FLIGHT AND PRIOR TO THE FINAL DEPARTURE FROM ANDREWS, NORTH CAROLINA. EACH BRIEFING NOTED INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE PILOT'S ROUTE OF FLIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT REQUESTED AND WAS GIVEN A RADAR ASSIST INTO ANDREWS MURPHY AIRPORT, FROM ATLANTA CENTER, ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AFTER REFUELING WITH 16 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL, THE PILOT DEPARTED ANDREWS MURPHY AIRPORT AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 6600 FEET. ATLANTA CENTER RADAR RECORDED AN AIRBORNE TARGET CIRCLING IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AT 6600 FEET. HIKERS ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAILS RECALLED HEARING AN AIRPLANE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THEY ALSO REPORTED THAT FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED TO ABOUT 50 YARDS WITH MODERATE RAIN. A FOREST RANGER REPORTED THAT WINDS WERE GUSTING TO ABOUT 45 MPH. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE DISCOVERED DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH HIGH TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE HIGH WIND AND RAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BLAIRSVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30512
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 75
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 45
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3600
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) 898
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 21 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50061
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7684J
NTSB Number ATL93FA026
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-31085
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Sep 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2896
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KELLER, MICHAEL T.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 52135 SW DETROIT RD
Aircraft Owner City AVON
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44011
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KELLER, MICHAEL T.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 52135 SW DETROIT RD
Operator City AVON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44011
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 6A3
Departure City ANDREWS
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OCF
Destination City OCALA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --