What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated that he departed the New River Valley Airport (psk), Dublin, Virginia, approx. 1630 for a local sightseeing flight. The pilot stated he de not encounter any adverse conditions on a similar flight earlier the same day. On his way back to the airport, on this second flight of th e day, the pilot approached a mountain ridge from a 45-degree angle, "at the same altitude as the ridge." When the pilot realized he was unable to climb over the ridge, he turned the aircraft back toward the valley. During the turn the airplane encountered a windshear. The pilot applied full power; however the aircraft continued to lose altitude until hitting the trees and subsequently impacted the ground. (.19) on September 29, 2001, at 1650 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt preceptor-ultra, N66VC, was substantially damaged during impact with terrain near Dublin, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he departed the new River valley airpor t (psk), Dublin, Virginia, about 1630, for a local sightseeing flight. On his way back to the airport, the pilot approached a mountain ridge from a 45-degree angle, "at the same altitude as the ridge." As he flew closer to the ridge, the airplane experienced a "modest downdraft," and the pilot added power to maintain his altitude. When the pilot noticed that he would not be able to climb over the ridge, he turned the airplane back toward the valley to regain altitude. He stated that during the turn, the airplane experienced a "substantial downdraft combined with windshear." The pilot added full power; however, the airplane's altitude continued to decrease at about 2,500 feet per minute. During the turn, the airplane struck trees and then impacted the ground. Examination of the airplane by a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, revealed substantial damage to the cowling, fuselage, and both wings. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit to all control surfaces, and the engine was rotated 360 degrees by the propeller. Weather reported at psk, at 1641, included winds from 330 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 15 knots, 10 miles visibility, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, temperature 17 degrees celsius, dew point 6 degrees celsius, and altimeter setting 30.15 in hg.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED THE NEW RIVER VALLEY AIRPORT (PSK), DUBLIN, VIRGINIA, APPROX. 1630 FOR A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE DE NOT ENCOUNTER ANY ADVERSE CONDITIONS ON A SIMILAR FLIGHT EARLIER THE SAME DAY. ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE AIRPORT, ON THIS SECOND FLIGHT OF TH E DAY, THE PILOT APPROACHED A MOUNTAIN RIDGE FROM A 45-DEGREE ANGLE, "AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AS THE RIDGE." WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OVER THE RIDGE, HE TURNED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARD THE VALLEY. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A WINDSHEAR. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER; HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE UNTIL HITTING THE TREES AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2001, AT 1650 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOMEBUILT PRECEPTOR-ULTRA, N66VC, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT WITH TERRAIN NEAR DUBLIN, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED THE NEW RIVER VALLEY AIRPOR T (PSK), DUBLIN, VIRGINIA, ABOUT 1630, FOR A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT APPROACHED A MOUNTAIN RIDGE FROM A 45-DEGREE ANGLE, "AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AS THE RIDGE." AS HE FLEW CLOSER TO THE RIDGE, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A "MODEST DOWNDRAFT," AND THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO MAINTAIN HIS ALTITUDE. WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CLIMB OVER THE RIDGE, HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE BACK TOWARD THE VALLEY TO REGAIN ALTITUDE. HE STATED THAT DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A "SUBSTANTIAL DOWNDRAFT COMBINED WITH WINDSHEAR." THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE CONTINUED TO DECREASE AT ABOUT 2,500 FEET PER MINUTE. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES AND THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE COWLING, FUSELAGE, AND BOTH WINGS. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED FROM THE COCKPIT TO ALL CONTROL SURFACES, AND THE ENGINE WAS ROTATED 360 DEGREES BY THE PROPELLER. WEATHER REPORTED AT PSK, AT 1641, INCLUDED WINDS FROM 330 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS, 10 MILES VISIBILITY, SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 5,000 FEET, TEMPERATURE 17 DEGREES CELSIUS, DEW POINT 6 DEGREES CELSIUS, AND ALTIMETER SETTING 30.15 IN HG.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.