Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cabin, West Virginia 26855
Saturday, September 5, 1987 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT AT 4500 FT MSL OVER A MOUNTAINOUS AREA WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED LOWERING CLOUDS. THE PLT DESCENDED TO STAY BELOW THE CLOUDS; HOWEVER, HE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE CLOUDS. AFTERWARDS HE TRIED TO TURN AROUND AND AS HE DID SO, ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE SURVIVORS WHO WAS THE PLTS WIFE, TREES APPEARED INTO VIEW FOLLOWED BY A TREE STRIKE. THE ACFT CAME TO REST NEAR THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN AT ABOUT 3500 FT. THE ELT ACTIVATED. SEARCH AND RESCUE PERSONNEL REACHED THE ACCIDENT SITE ABOUT 23 HRS LATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CABIN
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26855
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID EKN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1987
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
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) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2325
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35980
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65721
NTSB Number BFO87FA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 172-75834
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 24 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 89
Airframe Hours 1479
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name YORK AERO INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 366
Aircraft Owner City THOMASVILLE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17364
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 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 THV
Departure City YORK
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EKN
Destination City ELKIN
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --