Asheville Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arden, North Carolina 28704
Sunday, March 8, 1987 23:58 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT DEPARTED CHARLESTON, SC FOR RALEIGH EARLIER IN THE DAY. WHILE AT RALEIGH HE DISCUSSED PENDING LEGISLATION WITH ASSOC. HE DEPARTED RALEIGH ABOUT 2228 EST IN WX OF INDEF 100 AND 1/2 MILE VISIBILITY. HIS DESTINATION WAS FORECAST TO HAVE OCCASIONAL CEILINGS OF 200 OVERCAST AND 1/4 MILE VISIBIITY IN FOG. APPROACHING ASHEVILLE HE ASKED FOR A PIREP ON ASHEVILLE. ATLANTA CENTER GAVE THE LATEST WEATHER AS 500 SCATTERED, MEASURED 1100 OVERCAST, VISIBILITY ONE MILE IN LIGHTDRIZZLE AND FOG. THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS TO RUNWAY 34. THE EXISTING WEATHER WAS 400 OVERCAST, 2 MILES VISIBILITY.THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT ON A HEADING OF 014. PILOT DID NOT ACTIVATE APPROACH LIGHTS FOR RUNWAY 34.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/8/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2358
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ARDEN
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28704
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ASHEVILLE REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AVL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 11
Airport Elevation 2165
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2351 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2250
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) 473
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 9 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33606
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N621M
NTSB Number ATL87FA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model K35
Aircraft Series Identifier K35
Aircraft Serial Number D5852
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 6 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 87
Airframe Hours 4265
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRY W. CLARKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4 CEDARCLIFF RD.
Aircraft Owner City ASHEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28803
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 RDU
Departure City RALEIGH
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 2228
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AVL
Destination City ASHEVILLE
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 8001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --