Blairsville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Suches, Georgia 30572
Friday, July 21, 1989 10:16 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ONE OF THE TWO NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOTS IN THE AIRPLANE OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE ATLANTA FSS BY RADIO WHEN THEY WERE 20 MILES FROM THEIR DESTINATION. THE PILOT ADVISED THAT THEY WERE IN CLOUD COVER AND WOULD 'LIKE TO KNOW A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BREAK THROUGH THE CLOUDS.' THE BRIEFER ADVISED THAT SHE WOULD 'NOT RECOMMEND VFR IN THIS AREA AT ALL.' THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THEIR DESTINATION ON THE SOUTH SLOPE OF A MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 400-600 FEET BELOW THE TOP OF THE RIDGELINE. THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE TREES AND TERRAIN IN NEAR-LEVEL FLIGHT. PILOT AT CONTROLS PRESUMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLIGHT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION DISREGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE IN FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFER. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1016
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SUCHES
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30572
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BLAIRSVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 46A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 11
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 1911
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 215
Weather Observation Facility ID MGE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1068
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 58
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4550
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1625
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40510
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N205AG
NTSB Number ATL89FA190
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 Mooney
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3016
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 Nov 22 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 307
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN D. PITTMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX V
Aircraft Owner City LIVE OAK
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32060
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City LIVE OAK
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 46A
Destination City BLAIRSVILLE
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 10:30AM
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 --