Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Browntown, Virginia 22610
Saturday, August 24, 1985 18:29 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG A WX BRIEFING, FLT PRCTNS FOR OCNL MTN OBSCN & IMC WERE RELAYED TO THE PLT, BUT HE WAS NOT PROVIDED A FORECAST FOR THUNDERSTORMS, NOR ADVISED VFR FLT WAS NOT RCMDD. THE ROUTE OF FLT WAS PORTRAYED AS MARGINAL VFR, AS WAS THE DESTN AT MORGANTOWN (MGM). ALSO, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THE MGM WX WAS PARTIALLY OBSCURED, ESTD CEILING 1700' OVERCAST, VIS 1 MI WITH MODERATE RAIN & FOG. THE BRIEFER TERMED THESE CONDS AS MARGINAL VFR & STATED 'LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE FORECASTING TO CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE THROUGH TONIGHT & BECOME IFR BY MORNING.' THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT TOOK OFF ON THE FLT (TO TRANSPORT A PAX TO A HIGH SCHOOL REUNION). THEY WERE TO BE MET AT THE DESTN BY FAMILY MEMBERS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STRUCK THE 2900' LVL OF AN OBSCURED 3368' MTN BTN MANASSAS & MGM. THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS ALONG A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION TOWARD MANASSAS. THE PLT HAD RECENTLY FLOWN ABOUT 1 HR OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN ACTUAL IMC, BUT HIS TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME WAS NOT DETERMINED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1829
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BROWNTOWN
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22610
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 557
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 36
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2964
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33421
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7393Y
NTSB Number BFO85FA071
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model R182
Aircraft Series Identifier R182
Aircraft Serial Number R18200133
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 31 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 1661
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD PLYE, III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4930 QUEBEC ST. NW
Aircraft Owner City WASHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20016
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DULLES AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2169
Operator City MANASSAS
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22110
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 W10
Departure City MANASSAS
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MGW
Destination City MORGANTOWN
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --