Piper PA-28 N91SM

Summary

On 25 June 1991 at about 21:00 local time, a Piper PA-28 registered N91SM, operated by Northwest Georgia Aviation, Inc, was involved in an accident near Mt. Berry, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 June 1991 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mt. Berry, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

34.3100, -85.2304

Aircraft

Piper PA-28

Registration

N91SM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Northwest Georgia Aviation, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tuskegee → Rome

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL91FA124

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, HIS POOR INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE INTO DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE CLOUDS OBSCURING THE MOUNTAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NEWLY-CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT (A BRITISH CITIZEN) WAS RETURNING FROM A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE AIRFPLANE IMPACTED THE SIDE OF LAVENDER MOUNTAIN. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 11 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CRASH SITE WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT-RATED. DAMAGE TO TREES AND TO THE AIRFRAME WERE INDICATIVE OF A LEVEL FLIGHT, WINGS LEVEL COLLISION WITH THE TREES. THE PILOT OBTAINED SOME WEATHER INFORMATION FROM FSS EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A BRIEFING FOR HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND DID NOT OBTAIN ANY WEATHER INFO AT HIS LAST FUELING STOP.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.