Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boone, North Carolina 28607
Friday, April 8, 1988 12:38 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT APPROX. 3,000' MSL. LOCAL WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT FLY OVERHEAD AND IMPACT WITH TERRAIN BUT COULD NOT SEE THE ACFT DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY PRODUCED BY FOG. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING AND INCLIMATE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE FORECAST ALONG THE INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE ACFT DEPARTED VFR AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO EN ROUTE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE ACFT. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO SUGGEST PREIMPACT PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT, MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR STRUCTURAL FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/8/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1238
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BOONE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28607
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID TRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1519
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1215
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 587
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36455
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8880R
NTSB Number ATL88DMG05
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 14-19-3A
Aircraft Series Identifier 14-19-3A
Aircraft Serial Number 4242
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GENE R SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 753 DELBRICK LANE
Aircraft Owner City INDIANAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GENE RONALD SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 735 DELBRICK LANE
Operator City INDIANAPOLIS
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46229
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 MYR
Departure City MYRTLE BEACH
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IND
Destination City INDIANAPOLIS
Destination State IN
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --