Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ashland, Alabama 36251
Tuesady, March 21, 1989 17:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PREFLIGHT WX BRIEFING, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY. SUBSEQUENTLY THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ON A MTN RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1800 FT. A PARK RANGER STATED THAT ALL RIDGES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE OBSCURED AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO INDICATE A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. SEVERAL PROPELLER SLASH MARKS WERE FOUND ON TREE BRANCHES ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH TERRAIN, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ASHLAND
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36251
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID ANB
Elevation of weather observation facility 611
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1140
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39292
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6387S
NTSB Number ATL89FA113
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model F33A
Aircraft Series Identifier F33A
Aircraft Serial Number CE621
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Dec 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 3128
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BILL JOE ALLISON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3385 GLOUCESTER WAY
Aircraft Owner City ORLANDO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 GAD
Departure City GADSDEN
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EUF
Destination City EUFAULA
Destination State AL
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 --