Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newland, North Carolina 28657
Saturday, June 16, 1990 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT DEPARTED ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA FOR A VFR FLIGHT TO ROGERSVILLE, TENNESSEE. WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED THAT THE WEATHER IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT WAS LESS THAN THAT REQUIRED FOR FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE WITNESSES ALSO STATED THAT THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS WERE OBSCURED IN HAZE AND CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES NEAR THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN. THE BREAKS IN THE TOP OF THE TREES SHOW THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER APPROXIMATELY 90 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEWLAND
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28657
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
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2093
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43539
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 N9244X
NTSB Number ATL90FA132
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 182E
Aircraft Series Identifier 182E
Aircraft Serial Number 18253644
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELAM, DONALD O.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 6 MORGAN STREET
Aircraft Owner City CHURCH HILL
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37642
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ELAM, DONALD O.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 6, MORGAN STREET
Operator City CHURCH HILL
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37642
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 AVL
Departure City ASHEVILLE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RVN
Destination City ROGERSVILLE
Destination State TN
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 --