Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bryson City, North Carolina 28713
Sunday, January 27, 1991 18:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE EN ROUTE TO SYLVA, NORTH CAROLINA. ACCORDING TO THE CO-OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT, HE HAD ADVISED THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT NOT TO ATTEMPT THE FLIGHT DUE TO THE POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH EXISTED IN THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND NEAR THE TOP OF A RIDGE LINE AT 5,200 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. THE WRECKAGE WAS DISTRIBUTED OVER AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 1,200 FEET IN LENGTH. WITNESSES IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WEATHER WAS LESS THAN THAT REQUIRED FOR FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BY THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/27/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BRYSON CITY
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28713
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
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 Unknown
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1426
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44256
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2589S
NTSB Number ATL91FA043
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 337C
Aircraft Series Identifier 337C
Aircraft Serial Number 337-0889
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERNON, BARRON I & CHRISTOPHER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5933 EUREKA RD.
Aircraft Owner City CLEVELAND
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37312
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VERNON, BARRON I & CHRISTOPHER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 5933 EUREKA RD.
Operator City CLEVELAND
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37312
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 HDI
Departure City CLEVELAND
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 24A
Destination City SYLVA
Destination State NC
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 --