# Accident 20021031032759A: Piper PA28R200, Mountain City, TN, October 31, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 31, 2002, 09:50 local time
- Place: Mountain City, TN
- Airport: Johnson County Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.5661° N, 81.7661° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5661&lon=-81.7661&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15704, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15704-2005-02-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200
- Reported engine: CONT IO360*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 300 total, 180 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL03LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA011) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021031032759A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON OCTOBER 31, 2002, AT 0950 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28R-200, N15704, REGISTERED TO DORSCH AVIATION, LLC, AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT, COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING IN LAUREL BLOOMERY, TENNESSEE. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST-CRASH FIRE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SMITH REYNOLDS AIRPORT IN WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA, AT 0900. THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING MANEUVERS IN THE LOCAL AREA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED CLEAR ICE AT 6,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) AND DESCENDED TO 3,500 FEET, IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET BELOW THE ICING CONDITION. HOWEVER, THE FLIGHT WAS STILL ENCOUNTERING CLEAR ICE AND THE PILOT FURTHER DESCENDED IN A VALLEY TO 2300 FEET. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OUT OF THE VALLEY THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED INTO HEAVILY WOODED, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE, AND TELEPHONED RESCUE PERSONNEL VIA HIS CELL PHONE. THE PILOT WAS RESCUED AT 1830.  (-23) PILOT ENCOUNTERED CLEAR ICING ON THE AIRFRAME. ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNDERNEATH PRECIP LAYER. DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIFT TO GET OVER THE MOUNTAIN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL03LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA011), Oct 31, 2002: Piper PA-28R-200 (N15704), Laurel Bloomery, TN, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain, which resulted in an inflight collision with mountainous terrain. Factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and failure to obtain…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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