ATL96FA096

During flight, the airplane collided with an 18 foot section of an antenna that was installed on top of a U.S. Forest Service fire watch tower. The airplane then crashed about 300 feet north of the tower, and wreckage was found scattered over an area approximately 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. The airplane wreckage and engine compartment were further damaged by ground fire. Debris from the watch tower antenna was located in the main wreckage, and some antenna debris was also found several feet north of the main wreckage. No preimpact mechanical problem was found.

History of flight

On June 27, 1996, at 0945 central daylight time, a Cessna C-152, N95396, collided with an antenna mounted on a fire watch tower on Horn Mountain near Talladega, Alabama. The business flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with a flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed; the private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed Chattanooga, Tennessee, at 0651 hours.

On June 27, 1996, at 1823, Anniston Automated Flight Service Station issued an alert notice for N95396 a Cessna C-152 which never arrived at the destination airport. On June 28, 1996, at 1400 central daylight time, the aircraft wreckage was located at the 1700 foot level of Horn Mountain. There were no witnesses to the accident.

Aircraft information

Information on the airplane is contained in this factual report on page 2 under the data field labeled "Aircraft Information."

Personnel information

Information on the First Pilot is included in this factual report on page 3 under the data file labeled "First Pilot."

Metorological information

Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Weather information is located at data field labeled " Weather information" on page three of this factual report. A review of weather data disclosed that conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor ice existed at the time of the accident.

Wreckage and impact information

Examination of the accident site disclosed that, the airplane collided with an eighteen foot section of an antenna installed on top of a U.S. Forest Service fire watch tower. The wreckage rested on a 100 degree magnetic heading and scattered over an area approximately 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. The fire damaged airplane wreckage rested in a wooded area 300 feet north of the fire watch tower. The wreckage examination also disclosed that the airframe center section, cockpit area and the engine compartment were fire damaged; the ground in the immediate vicinity of the airframe was also burned. Debris from the watch tower antenna was located in the main wreckage and some antenna debris was also found several feet north of the main wreckage (see attached wreckage diagram).

The engine and propeller assemblies remained attached to the airframe in an upright position. Examination of the powerplant section of the airplane disclosed that the components installed on the accessory section of the engine were destroyed. The propeller blades exhibited chordwise twisting from the tip of the blades inboard approximately mid-span each blade.

Examination of the fire damaged wreckage failed to disclose a mechanical problem.

Medical and pathological information

The external examination of the pilot was conducted by Dr. Kenneth E. Warner at the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Tuscalossa, Alabama, on July 1, 1996. There was no soft tissue available for a toxicological screen.

Additional information

The aircraft wreckage was release to Phillip A. Powell (Insurance Adjustor)