Piper PA-31-350 N64LB

Summary

On 7 April 1994 at about 12:10 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N64LB, operated by Augusta Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Elizabethton, Tennessee, 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

7 April 1994 at 12:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Elizabethton Municipal (0A9)

Coordinates

36.3296, -82.2308

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N64LB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Augusta Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Augusta → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL94FA076

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE 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 ATP AND HIS PASSENGER WERE EN ROUTE TO PICK UP A PATIENT FOR TRANSPORT TO A VA HOSPITAL. THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS UNCONTROLLED, AND VFR ONLY. THE PILOT CANCELLED WITH ATC AND REPORTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THE AIRPORT WAS REPORTING VFR CONDITIONS, BUT RISING, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN EXISTED TO THE NORTHEAST, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORTED THAT THE TOP THIRD OF THE MOUNTAIN WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS DURING THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT. AFTER CANCELLING IFR, NO SUBSEQUENT RADIO CALLS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE FLIGHT, AND THE FLIGHT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SEVERAL HOURS LATER NEAR THE CREST OF HOLSTON MOUNTAIN, 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE HOLSTON MTN VOR. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED UPSLOPING, WOODED TERRAIN, WHILE AT A CLIMB ANGLE OF 8 DEGREES. DISINTEGRATION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS INDICATIVE OF A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.