- Date
- February 9, 1990, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Norton, VA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N40793Piper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900209001829A
- Case key
- 11541
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
Pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance over mountainous terrain when continuing to fly into deteriorating weather conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of instrument experience, low ceilings, fog, 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
The VFR pilot departed boone, NC, and contacted tri apch stating they were 2 DME from the holston VOR, level at 6,500 ft en route to the hazard VOR. The plt later requested a descent down to 5,500 ft. the plt requested a freq change and no further communications were made. The acft contacted a 4,400 ft mountain at an elevation of 4,162 ft. the acft traveled through trees prior to coming to rest in a 45 deg nose down attitude. The wx data listed in this report was recorded at a reporting facility 28 NM from the accident site. A police officer and a forest service ranger stated the local wx conditions were low ceilings, fog and drizzle during the day of the accident. Cap located the wreckage 2 days after the accident. Post accident inspection failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction of the airfram, flt controls, or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40793
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7405066
- Airframe hours
- 6,866
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gerald R. Hecko
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 27, 1989 · 191 hours before
- Departed
- 5A3 · Boone, NC
- Destination
- MDW · Chicago, IL
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
- 52
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 18,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRI, 28 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.
Other investigations on N40793 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.