Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Abingdon, Virginia 20210
Monday, July 6, 1987 11:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FSS ADVISED THE PLT THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO OBSCURED MOUNTAINS ALONG THE FLIGHT ROUTE. THERE ALSO WERE THUNDERSHOWERS WEST OF THE FLIGHT ROUTE. THE PLT SAID HE HAD TO LEAVE TO STAY AHEAD OF THE THUNDERSHOWERS. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD FLY THE VALLEY ROUTE BETWEEN BRISTOL AND ROANOKE, VA AND THEN DIRECT TO HIS DESTINATION. THE ACFT DEPARTED ABOUT 45 MINS LATER AND CLIMBED TO 2800 FT MSL AND HEADED NE BEFORE RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED. ABOUT 10 MINS AFTERWARDS A WITNESS HEARD THE ACFT HIT A FOG COVERED MOUNTAIN ABOUT 26 MILES NE OF THE DEPARTURE ARPT. THE ACFT HIT THE MOUNTAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 3900 FT. THE GLADE SPRING VOR IS ON THE MOUNTAIN AND THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS ABOUT ONE-QUARTER MI AWAY FROM IT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ABINGDON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20210
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 2106
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35448
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19SM
NTSB Number BFO87FA046
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 GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model AA-5B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5B
Aircraft Serial Number AA5B0034
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES D GRIFFARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 847 N LINCOLN AVE
Aircraft Owner City PITTSBURGH
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHARLES D. GRIFFARD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 847 N. LINCOLN AVE.
Operator City PITTSBURGH
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19610
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 TRI
Departure City BRISTOL
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1037
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AGC
Destination City PITTSBURGH
Destination State PA
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --