Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Munford, Alabama 36268
Thursday, February 7, 1991 8:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN UPDATED 0528 EST WX BRIEFING, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR IFR WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE GEORGIA AND ALABAMA AREAS. AT 0841 EST HE DEPARTED MACON, GA ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN TO ANNISTON, AL. AT O821 CST, APRX 22 MI SE FROM THE ANNISTON ARPT, THE PILOT CONTACTED ATLANTA CENTER AND CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN. HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE IN HIS AREA WAS 2,900 FT MSL. TWO MINUTES LATER HE CONTACTED ANNISTON RADIO AND REQUESTED LOCAL WX CONDITIONS. HE WAS GIVEN THE LATEST REPORTED (0756 CST) WX AS CEILING 1,500 BROKEN, 3,100 OVERCAST, 5 MI WITH FOG. THE ANNISTON AIRPORT FIELD ELEVATION IS 526 FT. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN TOP 10 MI SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 2,300 FT. THE 0850 CST ANNISTON WX WAS 800 FT OVERCAST, 4 MI IN FOG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT ATTEMPTING VISUAL FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS BELOW THE MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE LOW CEILING AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MUNFORD
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36268
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID ANB
Elevation of weather observation facility 611
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44813
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 N27818
NTSB Number ATL91FA052
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7952001
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MACON HORIZONS, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address POB 134
Aircraft Owner City MACON
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31202
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MACON HORIZONS, INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address POB 134
Operator City MACON
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 31202
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MCN
Departure City MACON
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 841
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ANB
Destination City ANNISTON
Destination State AL
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --