- Date
- February 7, 1991, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Munford, AL
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N27818Piper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910207003909A
- Case key
- 8312
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot attempting visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions below the minimum safe altitude for terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the low ceiling and mountainous terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During an updated 0528 EST wx briefing, the pilot was advised of flight precautions for IFR weather conditions in the Georgia and Alabama areas. At 0841 EST he departed macon, ga on an IFR flight plan to anniston, AL. At O821 CST, aprx 22 mi se from the anniston arpt, the pilot contacted atlanta center and cancelled his IFR flight plan. He was advised that the minimum safe altitude in his area was 2,900 ft MSL. Two minutes later he contacted anniston radio and requested local wx conditions. He was given the latest reported (0756 CST) wx as ceiling 1,500 broken, 3,100 overcast, 5 mi with fog. The anniston airport field elevation is 526 ft. the aircraft subsequently impacted a mountain top 10 mi south of the airport at an elevation of aprx 2,300 ft. the 0850 CST anniston wx was 800 ft overcast, 4 mi in fog.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27818
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7952001
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Macon Horizons, Inc
- Registered owner
- Macon Horizons, Inc
- Departed
- MCN · Macon, GA
- Destination
- ANB · Anniston, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Observed at
- ANB, 18 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.