Date & Time: Aug 23, 1985 at 2155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31 Cheyenne
Operator:
Hubert Van Pittman
Registration:
N600CM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Louisville - Greer
MSN:
31-7720024
YOM:
1977
Location:
Flat Rock
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
4
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
1700
Aircraft flight hours:
4077
Circumstances:
Aircraft hit northwest side of ridge in level attitude, cruise speed, heading southeast. Conditions were dark night and the cloud ceiling was about 40 feet above the ridge. Pilot received weather brief before take off and en route which reported a ceiling of 10,000 feet at destination. Aircraft was flown at 17,500 feet en route. Pilot-in-command radioed GSP approach control, said he was VFR for landing, passing 6,000 feet. Two way communication not established but discrete tx code assigned. Controller saw tx code change northwest of crash site then radar target disappeared at accident site. All five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: cruise
Findings
1. (c) ifr procedure - disregarded - pilot in command
2. (c) descent - premature - pilot in command
Final Report:
N600CM.pdf87.24 KB