Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hayesville, North Carolina 28904
Wednesday, September 11, 1985 1:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FISHERMAN HEARD AN AIRCRAFT OVERHEAD BUT DID NOT SEE ANY SIGN OF IT IN THE NIGHT SKY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THEY SAW A FLASH AND FIRE ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, THEN THEY HEARD THE EXPLOSION. THE SHERIFF WAS CALLED AND AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CRASHED AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF OCCUPANTS IN OR NEAR THE AIRCRAFT. THE NEXT MORNING THE BODY OF A HEAVILY ARMED MAN WHO HAD ON A PARACHUTE AND A DEPLOYED RESERVE PARACHUTE WAS FOUND SEVERAL MILES AWAY IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. A KEY TO THE CRASHED AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ON THE BODY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HAYESVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28904
Event Date Year 1985
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 51 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 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) 2509
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30240
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N128SP
NTSB Number ATL85LA273
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 404
Aircraft Series Identifier 404
Aircraft Serial Number 404 0429
Certified Max Gross Weight 8400
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OPEX, AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 340 E. SANTA MARIE ST.
Operator City SANTA PAULA
Operator State CA
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City UNKNOWN
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City UNKNOWN
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --