Birmingham Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Birmingham, Alabama 35217
Sunday, February 14, 1988 19:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON A HILL AT NIGHT, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. THE PLT RPTD THAT HE 'EVIDENTLY GOT TOO LOW' ON THE APPROACH. THE VISIBILITY WAS 10 MILES. THE HILLY TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS UNDEVELOPED, AND HAD NO ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING ON IT TO PROVIDE VISUAL CUES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BIRMINGHAM
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35217
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BIRMINGHAM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BHM
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 644
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1925 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 26
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 467
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 14 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1005
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36173
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7448V
NTSB Number ATL88LA090
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 22 1225
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 May 12 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1977
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name W C. CULLIPHER AND SON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 68
Aircraft Owner City ALAMO
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name W. C. CULLIPHER & SON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 68
Operator City ALAMO
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38001
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 DAB
Departure City DAYTONA BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BHM
Destination City DYERSBURG
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 18
Runway Length 4856
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --