Piper PA-46-350P accident near Black Mountain, NC
On July 21, 2001, a Piper PA-46-350P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Black Mountain, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 21, 2001
- Place
- Black Mountain, NC
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-350P · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.724°N, 82.344°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010730X01553
NTSB summary
History Of The Flight On July 21, 2001, about 1707 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N396PM, registered to Malibu, Inc., crashed on Bullhead Mountain, near Black Mountain, North Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and the commercial-rated pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Asheville, North Carolina, the same day, about 1656. A friend of the pilot stated she and the pilot departed Atlanta, Georgia, on July 20, 2001, about 1500. The planned destination was Mountain Air Airport, Burnsville, North Carolina. When they arrived in the Asheville, North Carolina, area about 1630, the mountains in the area of Mountain Air Airport were obscured by clouds. They landed at Asheville and waited about 30 minutes. They took off again, and the mountains were still obscured. They returned to Asheville and took a rental car to Burnsville. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing on July 21, 2001, while at Burnsville, that she knew about. He departed about 1500, on the afternoon of July 21, 2001, to return the rental car to Asheville and bring the airplane back to Mountain Air Airport. The weather was clear when he left Burnsville. She waited for him at the Mountain Air Airport. When he did not arrive, she reported him missing to personnel at the FAA Asheville Control Tower, about 1800. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received an emergency locator transmitter signal at position 35 degrees, 44.8 minutes, north latitude and 08
Probable cause
The pilot's continued VFR flight into IMC conditions resulting in the airplane colliding with mountainous terrain.
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Browse: North Carolina · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
