Aviation Accident Summary ATL90FA038

SPINDALE, NC, USA

Aircraft #1

N5417C

CESSNA T210N

Analysis

AT 1246, DURING THE VOR APPROACH, THE PILOT ADVISED HE WAS GOING TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN. AT 1250 HE ADVISED '...WE'RE GOT HER ALL SET UP.' AT 1256, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS '...HAVING A HELL OF A TIME...HERE'. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES AND A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE 4 MILES SE OF THE AIRPORT. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CIRCLED THREE TIMES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THREE OF THE SEVEN OCCUPANTS OF THE HOUSE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. BASIC WEATHER DATA ABOVE WAS REPORTED AT GREER, SC, 34 MILES SW. WITNESSES IN AREA OF ACCIDENT REPORTED LOW CEILING & FOG.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE WHICH RESULTED IN DESCENT BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTINGFACTOR(S) WAS: THE FOG AND LOW CEILING.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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