Andrews/Murphy Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Andrews, North Carolina 28901
Sunday, June 10, 1990 22:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS ON A NIGHT FLT FROM ANDREWS, NC, TO AMERICUS, GA. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. ON 6/12/90, THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON THE SE RIDGE OF A MOUNTAIN ABOUT 4 MI WNW OF THE DEPARTURE ARPT. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 3100' AS THE ACFT WAS ON A WESTERLY HEADING. INITIAL IMPACT WAS WITH A TREE ABOUT 250' FROM WHERE THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE OVER HIGH TERRAIN. DARKNESS AND HIGH TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2245
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ANDREWS
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28901
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANDREWS/MURPHY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6A3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 290
Airport Elevation 1700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 2253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 30000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2168
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44572
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N201SE
NTSB Number ATL90FA128
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0295
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 1148
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT LEE PILCHER JR.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 435
Operator City ELLAVILLE
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 31806
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 2245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City AMERICUS
Destination State GA
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 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --