Browning Gregory S ZODIAC 601XL accident near Thompson's Station, TN
On December 21, 2017, a Browning Gregory S ZODIAC 601XL (airplane) was involved in an accident near Thompson's Station, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- December 21, 2017
- Place
- Thompson's Station, TN
- Aircraft
- Browning Gregory S ZODIAC 601XL · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.819°N, 87.047°W
- NTSB ID
- 20171221X55208
Official records · WPR18FA053
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 21, 2017, about 1307 central standard time, a Zodiac 601XL experimental, amateur-built airplane, N929GB, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering at low altitude near Thompson's Station, Tennessee. The sport pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was owned by the pilot, who operated it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Bomar Field-Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI), Shelbyville, Tennessee, about 1230, with an intended destination of Whifferdill Airport (TN77), Chapmansboro, Tennessee. According to a family member, the pilot completed the 57-nautical-mile flight from TN77 to SYI a few weeks earlier to have an autopilot system installed in the airplane. On the day of the accident, the family member drove the pilot to SYI so the pilot could fly the airplane back to TN77. The owner of the maintenance facility where the work was completed stated that he was surprised to see the pilot, as the pilot had not informed him of his intention to pick up the airplane that day. Additionally, the weather conditions were well below visual flight rules (VFR) minimums. The maintenance facility owner asked the pilot if he had looked at the weather, to which the pilot replied that it was improving, and it would be fine. The maintenance facility owner then informed the pilot that the current weather at SYI was 400 ft overcast and not good for flying and
Probable cause
The sport pilot's decision to depart in and continue flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
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Browse: Tennessee
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
