Mt. Air Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burnsville, North Carolina 28714
Sunday, October 27, 1991 9:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED DOWN A HILLSIDE AFTER THE PILOT REJECTED A TAKEOFF FROM A RUNWAY WHICH ROSE 40 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF ABOUT 900 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. REPORTEDLY, THE WINDS WERE CALM AND THE DOWNSLOPE RUNWAY WAS RECOMMENDED FOR NORMAL TAKEOFFS FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS NOT EXPERIENCED WITH OPERATIONS AT HIGHER THAN SEA LEVEL. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED AT 5,250 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND THE SELECTION OF TAKEOFF RUNWAY WITH AN UPSLOPE FOR TAKEOFF. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/27/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BURNSVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28714
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MT. AIR AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4350
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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) 5250
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1731
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45608
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74279
NTSB Number ATL92LA016
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GULFSTREAM AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA5A
Aircraft Series Identifier AA5A
Aircraft Serial Number AA5A-0185
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 120
Airframe Hours 1400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MCCANDLESS, JEFFREY D
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3 GOLDFINCH LANE
Aircraft Owner City HILTON HEAD
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29921
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MCCANDLESS, JEFFREY D
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3 GOLDFINCH LANE
Operator City HILTON HEAD
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29921
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
Departure City BURNSVILLE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 49J
Destination City HILTON HEAD ISL
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 32
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --