Cessna 310R N3221M

Summary

On 26 April 1992 at about 17:53 local time, a Cessna 310R registered N3221M, operated by CFF Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 April 1992 at 17:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

35.7203, -83.4894

Aircraft

Cessna 310R

Registration

N3221M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

CFF Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cartersville → Greeneville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL92FA091

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE OVER HIGH, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH TERRAIN, AND THE FOG, CLOUDS, AND OBSCURATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE INSTRUMENT-RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS MAKING A PERSONAL, CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED, NOR WERE THERE ANY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE FLIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN NEAR CLINGMANS DOME, TN, AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 5,800 FEET. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED UPHILL, AND DAMAGE TO TREES WAS INDICATIVE OF A CLIMBING, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE AT IMPACT. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. A MEMBER OF THE LOCAL CAP SQUADRON REPORTED THAT THE AREA OF THE CRASH SITE WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AND FOG AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.