Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Andrews-Murphy Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Robbinsville, North Carolina 28771
Wednesday, November 4, 1998 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
"THIS CASE WAS CHANGED FROM ATL05FA014."
The non-instrument rated private pilot received an automated flight service station (AFSS) weather briefing for an intended visual flight rules (VFR) direct flight at 6,500 feet over mountainous terrain. After receiving the weather briefing, which included AIRMETs for IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, icing, and low en route cloud ceilings, as well as the advisory, "VFR flight not recommended," the pilot amended his filed altitude to 4,500 feet. The amended altitude was higher than some forecasted cloud ceilings and lower than some of the terrain on the pilot's filed route, and the pilot's filed alternate airport was in mountainous terrain. After takeoff, the pilot did not activate the flight plan or establish radio contact with any air traffic control (ATC) facilities. ATC radar data showed a primary target, presumed to be the accident flight, which was first detected about 2 nm south of the departure airport and continued generally direct toward the destination. Mode C data associated with the primary targets did not begin until about an hour later and continued for 26 minutes. Mode C data were lost when the target was about 15 nm north of the Knoxville Class C airspace at an altitude of 4,600 feet. The airplane was missing for 6 years until is was located by hunters in a heavily wooded mountainous area at an elevation of about 3,300 feet. The accident site was about 12.3 nm north of the destination airport, and about 47.7 nm south of the last Mode C return. Wreckage debris was scattered about 275 feet along an approximate 170-degree magnetic heading from a cluster of trees with uniformly broken tops. Broken tree evidence and impact evidence on the airframe were consistent with level, controlled flight into trees and terrain. Examination of the engine, airframe, and components revealed no evidence of pre-crash malfunction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
"THIS CASE WAS CHANGED FROM ATL05FA014."
The pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue VFR flight into IMC, which resulted in an in-flight encounter with weather and controlled flight into terrain. Factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and decision-making.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/4/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | -- |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Robbinsville |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28771 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 352323N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0835514W |
| Event Location Airport | Andrews-Murphy |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | K6A3 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 12.3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1700 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1635 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 172 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | K6A3 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1700 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.85 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 20701 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FBI |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 27 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1200 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2006 9:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Charlotte FSDO - 33 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2820T |
| NTSB Number | ATL99FA136 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7205228 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 1 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 90 |
| Airframe Hours | 4924 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PMH Flyers, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 314 Crestwood Dr |
| Aircraft Owner City | Waverly |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 45690 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Walter D. Barker |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | PO Box 1411 |
| Operator City | Friendship |
| Operator State | OH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 45630 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | KPMH |
| Departure City | Portsmouth |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1435 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | K6A3 |
| Destination City | Andrews |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 23 2008 5:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | JOHB |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |