What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was on a left base leg vector for an ILS rwy 34 approach to asheville regional airport (avl), and assigned 5,100 feet altitude. ATC controller advised the pilot that he was below assigned altitude and off heading. Pilot responded that he was having difficulty "getting it up" and that the air was rough. Without reporting his intentions the pilot descended and made a left 360-degree turn, started another turn and then impacted the side of pinnacle mountain at approximately 3,093 feet. The pilot was possibly trying to fly under the cloud cover, at night in the mountainous terrain. Avc cloud cover, 13NM to the north, was 3600 feet AGL (2165 + 3600 = 5800 feet MSL). Pilot and aircraft records not located. Times not known.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS ON A LEFT BASE LEG VECTOR FOR AN ILS RWY 34 APPROACH TO ASHEVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT (AVL), AND ASSIGNED 5,100 FEET ALTITUDE. ATC CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT THAT HE WAS BELOW ASSIGNED ALTITUDE AND OFF HEADING. PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY "GETTING IT UP" AND THAT THE AIR WAS ROUGH. WITHOUT REPORTING HIS INTENTIONS THE PILOT DESCENDED AND MADE A LEFT 360-DEGREE TURN, STARTED ANOTHER TURN AND THEN IMPACTED THE SIDE OF PINNACLE MOUNTAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 3,093 FEET. THE PILOT WAS POSSIBLY TRYING TO FLY UNDER THE CLOUD COVER, AT NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AVC CLOUD COVER, 13NM TO THE NORTH, WAS 3600 FEET AGL (2165 + 3600 = 5800 FEET MSL). PILOT AND AIRCRAFT RECORDS NOT LOCATED. TIMES NOT KNOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.