Lee County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jonesville, Virginia 24263
Wednesday, July 24, 1991 9:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE TAKING OFF FM THE UNCTLD ARPT, THE FLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING, FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN & RCVD AN INSTRUMENT CLNC BY TELEPHONE WITH A VOID TIME OF 15 MIN LATER. A WITNESS ESTIMATED THE ARPT WX WAS 200' OVC, VIS 1 TO 5 MI WITH FOG, AND STONE MTN (NORTH OF THE ARPT) WAS OBSCURED. THE ACFT DEPD FM RWY 25 WITH 4 RATED PLTS ABOARD. THE OWNER (A NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT) WAS IN THE LEFT FNT SEAT & A COMMERCIAL RATED INSTRUCTOR PLT (PIC/CFI/CFII) WAS IN THE RGT FNT SEAT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO STONE MTN, APRX 2.5 MI FROM THE ARPT, ON A HDG OF ABT 310 DEG. AN EXAM REVEALED THE THROWOVER YOKE WAS TO THE LEFT. LOGS SHOWED THE OWNER HAD BEEN RCVG INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION FM THE INSTRUCTOR IN THE RGT FNT SEAT. THE INSTRUMENT DEP PROC WAS TO CLIMB VISUALLY OVR ARPT TO 2800', THEN CONT CLIMB VIA DRCT LONG HOLLOW NON-DRCTNL BCN HOLDING PATTERN TO 5000' BEFORE PROCEEDING ON COURSE. ETHANOL WAS DETECTED IN THE RGT FNT SEAT OCCUPANT'S BLOOD; HOWEVER, THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF DECOMPOSITION IN THE SAMPLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) TO ASSURE THAT THE INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE PROCEDURE WAS FOLLOWED AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED CLEAR OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 918
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JONESVILLE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24263
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LEE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 1864
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 2174
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47343
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N118CB
NTSB Number BFO91FA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model V35A
Aircraft Series Identifier V35A
Aircraft Serial Number D8983
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Jul 12 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 193
Airframe Hours 2932
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE L. VAN HUSS
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1 BOX 10
Aircraft Owner City JONESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24263
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRUCE L. VAN HUSS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1 BOX 10
Operator City JONESVILLE
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24263
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 PTG
Departure City PENNINGTON GAP
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 917
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RFD
Destination City ROCKFORD
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 2262
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --