Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saltville, Virginia 24370
Friday, August 30, 1974 22:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was issued his certificate one week prior to the accident, and he did not possess an instrument rating. After extensive discussions, flight planning, and weather analysis with the pilot, the fixed base operator agreed to rent the airplane for the planned cross-country flight, if the pilot agreed to fly only in day VFR conditions, and spend the night at an intermediate stop along his intended course. Instead, the pilot landed at the planned stop, refueled, and continued his flight over mountainous terrain in night instrument meteorological conditions. The wreckage was discovered in mountainous terrain 16 months after the accident. The crash site was at an elevation of 4,500 feet on a mountain with an elevation of 4,689 feet. On the night of the accident, the cloud ceilings in the area were measured between 2,700 feet and 4,000 feet mean sea level with visibility reduced by rain showers and fog.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued VFR flight into known night instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in the accident included mountainous terrain obscured by clouds, and dark night conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/30/1974
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Saltville
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24370
Event Date Year 1974
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365520N
Event Location Longitude 0815241W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2158 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID BLF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2857
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 39
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21015
NTSB Notification Source Hiker
NTSB Notification Date Oct 10 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2007 11:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Charleston, WV

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5142R
NTSB Number NYC07LA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17263359
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1974 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 70
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Fred Wilkinson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Valdosta
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31601
Operator is an individual? No
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 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 AHN
Departure City ATHENS
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRW
Destination City Charleston
Destination State WV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 16 2006 7:58PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
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 --