Cessna 172 N30DS

Summary

On 5 May 1999 at about 23:45 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N30DS was involved in an accident near Fontana, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 May 1999 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Fontana, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

McGee/Tyson (TYS)

Coordinates

35.4198, -83.4406

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N30DS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jacksonville → Knoxville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

MIA99FA150

1 person died.

the pilot continued visual flight into know weather conditions which resulted in reduced visibility, and the subsequent in-flight collision with rising terrain. Factors in this accidents were clouds and low ceiling in the accident area.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot made radio contact with approach control, level at 8,500 feet, and was advised that the tops of the clouds were at 7,000 feet msl, and that the base of the clouds in the area were at 3,400 feet msl. The pilot said, '...I can see the...seven thousand footers I've got uh ground contact.' The controller said, '...roger are you familiar with the mountainous terrain.' The pilot answered, 'yes sir.' About 8 minutes after initial contact, radio and radar contact were simultaneously lost. The airplane impacted in mountainous rising terrain, in a heavily wooded area. Due to bad weather, extremely rough terrain, and the remoteness of the crash site, ground searchers could not reach the wreckage for a couple of days. The following exchange occurred between two ATC controllers referance weather conditions at Knoxville and N30DS's position, '...[he is] tryin to dodge clouds and stuff...I don't see any breaks...well he says he sees the ground...well good luck (unintelligible) he better descend if he can because there's no breaks out this way but oh well that's for him to decide....' The airframe, engine, and propeller were examined and no discrepancies were found. Control cable continuity was confirmed to all the flight controls

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.