MT. BERRY, GA, USA
N91SM
PIPER PA-28
THE NEWLY-CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT (A BRITISH CITIZEN) WAS RETURNING FROM A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE AIRFPLANE IMPACTED THE SIDE OF LAVENDER MOUNTAIN. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 11 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CRASH SITE WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT-RATED. DAMAGE TO TREES AND TO THE AIRFRAME WERE INDICATIVE OF A LEVEL FLIGHT, WINGS LEVEL COLLISION WITH THE TREES. THE PILOT OBTAINED SOME WEATHER INFORMATION FROM FSS EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A BRIEFING FOR HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND DID NOT OBTAIN ANY WEATHER INFO AT HIS LAST FUELING STOP.
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, HIS POOR INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE INTO DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE CLOUDS OBSCURING THE MOUNTAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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