What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On November 13, 2005, at 2145 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32, N1186X, registered to a private owner collided with trees and the ground while maneuvering for an emergency landing following engine failure in the vicinity of Bryson City, north carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by impact. The private pilot along with three passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane departed from gatlinburg-pigeon forge airport in sevierville, TN (gkt) enroute to thomson-mcduffie county airport (hqu). PIC stated that about 30 minutes into the flight while cruising at an altitude of 7,000 ft., the engine surged and quit. PIC also stated that he selected another tank and turned the fuel pump on. No pump pressure was noted. At that point, he informed atlanta center of the problem. He tried to make Bryson City private airport but was unsuccessful. He also tried to make lake bottom airport but was unsuccessful. Investigation of the aircraft on site in the rural are in swain county, NC, approximately seven miles northwest of Bryson City, NC. Aircraft came to rest on south side of mountain area off round hill rd., approximately 70 yards uphill and adjacent of roadway. Aircraft impacted mountain area approximately 75 yards above where aircraft came to rest and slid backwards down the mountain to approximately 50 yards from creek. Both wings were torn from fuselage. Fuel was evident in the forest area. Most fuel smell was in area uphill from wreckage due to all fuel cells damaged upon impact with trees. Flight controls and connections inspected for continuity and found tail group with continuity. Wings could not be verified for continuity due to wings being torn off, but during an interview by telephone with the pilot, he stated the aircraft had not control problems. Engine controls continuity was verified to the point where the controls were torn away from the aircraft, but did function with levers in cockpit. Prop governor control moved the lever arm at the governor. No fuel evident at engine due to hole in carburetor, which was torn away from engine, and fuel lines pulled apart. Right magneto removed and verified movement of mag drive gears when propeller was moved. Airworthiness certificate removed and retained by this inspector. No registration found in aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON NOVEMBER 13, 2005, AT 2145 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32, N1186X, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING ENGINE FAILURE IN THE VICINITY OF BRYSON CITY, NORTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT. THE PRIVATE PILOT ALONG WITH THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM GATLINBURG-PIGEON FORGE AIRPORT IN SEVIERVILLE, TN (GKT) ENROUTE TO THOMSON-MCDUFFIE COUNTY AIRPORT (HQU). PIC STATED THAT ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT WHILE CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 7,000 FT., THE ENGINE SURGED AND QUIT. PIC ALSO STATED THAT HE SELECTED ANOTHER TANK AND TURNED THE FUEL PUMP ON. NO PUMP PRESSURE WAS NOTED. AT THAT POINT, HE INFORMED ATLANTA CENTER OF THE PROBLEM. HE TRIED TO MAKE BRYSON CITY PRIVATE AIRPORT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE ALSO TRIED TO MAKE LAKE BOTTOM AIRPORT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ON SITE IN THE RURAL ARE IN SWAIN COUNTY, NC, APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MILES NORTHWEST OF BRYSON CITY, NC. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON SOUTH SIDE OF MOUNTAIN AREA OFF ROUND HILL RD., APPROXIMATELY 70 YARDS UPHILL AND ADJACENT OF ROADWAY. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED MOUNTAIN AREA APPROXIMATELY 75 YARDS ABOVE WHERE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AND SLID BACKWARDS DOWN THE MOUNTAIN TO APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM CREEK. BOTH WINGS WERE TORN FROM FUSELAGE. FUEL WAS EVIDENT IN THE FOREST AREA. MOST FUEL SMELL WAS IN AREA UPHILL FROM WRECKAGE DUE TO ALL FUEL CELLS DAMAGED UPON IMPACT WITH TREES. FLIGHT CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS INSPECTED FOR CONTINUITY AND FOUND TAIL GROUP WITH CONTINUITY. WINGS COULD NOT BE VERIFIED FOR CONTINUITY DUE TO WINGS BEING TORN OFF, BUT DURING AN INTERVIEW BY TELEPHONE WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT CONTROL PROBLEMS. ENGINE CONTROLS CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED TO THE POINT WHERE THE CONTROLS WERE TORN AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT, BUT DID FUNCTION WITH LEVERS IN COCKPIT. PROP GOVERNOR CONTROL MOVED THE LEVER ARM AT THE GOVERNOR. NO FUEL EVIDENT AT ENGINE DUE TO HOLE IN CARBURETOR, WHICH WAS TORN AWAY FROM ENGINE, AND FUEL LINES PULLED APART. RIGHT MAGNETO REMOVED AND VERIFIED MOVEMENT OF MAG DRIVE GEARS WHEN PROPELLER WAS MOVED. AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE REMOVED AND RETAINED BY THIS INSPECTOR. NO REGISTRATION FOUND IN AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.