ATL07FA081

The pilot’s improper decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, with a low cloud ceiling, over mountainous terrain.

On the morning of the accident, the instrument-rated pilot called an automated flight service station (AFSS) for a weather briefing. The briefer informed the pilot that there were thunderstorms and rain showers that extend to his destination. Following the briefing, the pilot ended the conversation with, "let me figure out which way is the best way to go and then maybe ill call back and file." No further calls from the pilot were received by any AFSS. According to a witness, who was a certified flight instructor and lived near the mountainous accident site, he stepped out onto his back deck and watched a white T-tail airplane flying about an "approximate altitude of 2600 to 3000 feet mean sea level (MSL), headed in a north northeast direction, flying level." The witness stated that the airplane was flying about 300 feet above the base of the lowest cloud layer, in and out of the clouds. The airplane was reported missing by family members the following morning and located by the Civil Air Patrol the next day. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies. The pilot had over 3000 hours of total flight time. The pilot did not file an instrument flight rules flight plan and continued his flight into adverse weather, with a low cloud ceiling, while crossing mountainous terrain.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 26, 2007, about 1430 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-38-112, N9247T, crashed into trees and rising mountainous terrain at the Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, Georgia, while attempting to stay below overcast cloud conditions. The certificated commercial pilot was killed, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site. The flight originated from Habersham County Airport (AJR), Cornelia, Georgia, about 1400; destined for Lunken Field (LUK), Cincinnati, Ohio. The airplane was reported missing by family members on April 27, 2007. The Dayton, Ohio, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Station (FSS) issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT) at 1247, and a search was initiated. On April 28, 2007, the airplane was located by the Civil Air Patrol at 1446. A ground team arrived at the accident site at 1630, and confirmed that this was the missing airplane and pilot. The airplane had impacted several trees and came to rest on a 020-degree magnetic heading in rocky terrain at an elevation of 3200 feet mean sea level (MSL). A witness, who lived in the local area and was an active certified flight instructor (CFI), stated that he had been instructing and flying in this area for over 4 years. When he heard an airplane flying in these mountains, on a day with low ceilings, it caught his attention immediately. He stepped out onto his back deck and watched a white T-tail airplane flying about an "approximate altitude of 2600 to 3000 feet MSL, headed in a north northeast direction, flying level." The CFI stated that the airplane was flying about 300 feet above the base of the lowest cloud layer, in and out of the clouds. The CFI added that he was not aware of the accident until he heard about it on the news. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 78, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane, updated on August 3, 2004. He also held a third-class medical certificate, issued on August 24, 2006, with a restriction that he must wear corrective lenses. The pilot’s most recent medical certificate showed that he had accumulated 3,000 hours of flight time. The pilot’s logbook was not recovered for examination. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The two-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear airplane was manufactured in 1978. It was powered by a Lycoming O-235-L2C, 115-horsepower engine, and equipped with a Sensenich Model 72CK-O-56 fixed pitch propeller. The airplanes logbooks were not recovered for examination. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The nearest weather reporting station was located at Gainesville, Georgia (GVL), approximately 15 miles southeast from the accident site. The 1353 surface weather observation at GVL was: wind 170 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 18 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 3600 and scattered layers at 4300 and 5500 feet. Temperature was 24 degrees Celsius, dew point temperature 14 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury. On April 26, 2008, at 0817, the pilot called the Anderson Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) for a briefing from Hilton Head, South Carolina (HXD) to Covington, Kentucky (CVG)/LUK area via Asheville, North Carolina (AVL), for a departure time of around 1000. The briefing included information on a cold front that extended from the central portion of Missouri all the way down across the Mississippi, lower Mississippi valley pushing eastward. The briefer informed the pilot that there were thunderstorms and rain showers that extend to his destination. "Basically from Cincinnati all the way down across the eastern portion of Tennessee into Alabama and within the next five hours that whole line will be along your route of flight across Kentucky eastern Tennessee western North Carolina and western South Carolina." Following the briefing according to the AFSS recorded conversation transcript, the pilot ended the conversation with, "let me figure out which way is the best way to go and then maybe I’ll call back and file." No further calls from the pilot were received by the AFSS. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The airplane was located in a remote densely wooded area and came to rest about 142 feet down from the top of the 3,380-foot mountain ridge. Examination of the wreckage found that the fuselage had come to rest in the upright position. The left side of the fuselage at the wing root area was crushed upwards. Both cabin doors were separated. A screwdriver and unfastened door screws were found on the left side of the cabin area. A blanket and pillow were found forward of the right wing. This is where rescuers located the pilot. The left side bottom fuselage skins were crushed up and aft. The left metal control yoke right handle was bent forward. The bottom left side of the instrument panel was broken and fragmented. The windshield and rear window were broken and separated. The fuel selector handle was observed in the left fuel tank position. The fuel gascolator bowl had damage. The fuel gascolator fuel screen was free from blockage. The throttle and mixture levers in the cockpit were found in the full forward position. The flap handle area was damaged. Flight control continuity was established to all flight controls, except for impact related separations. The left wing was destroyed by impact. About 10 feet of the inboard wing remained attached at the wing root. Two feet outboard from the wing root, the leading edge displayed circular impact deformation crushing, aft to the main spar. The left aileron had impact damage at the inboard area and remained attached to the outboard wing. The bellcrank was separated from its attachment points and both bellcrank arms were bent. The left flap had impact damage and remained attached to the inboard wing. About 9 feet of the main spar remained attached at the right wing root. The main spar was bent aft approximately 1 foot. The outboard section of the right wing, which measured about 6 feet, was found 30 feet aft of the main wreckage site. The outboard leading edge skin of the right wing was separated and found about 75 feet aft of the main wreckage site. The right fuel tank was separated and destroyed. The fuel finger screen was free from blockage. The right aileron remained partially attached to the outboard wing section. The aileron cables and bellcrank stops were attached. The empennage was partially separated aft of the cabin area and was bent downwards and to the right relative to the longitudinal axis of the airplane. Both the left and right sides of the outboard stabilizer were damaged and separated. The left elevator had impact damage and was separated and found on the left side of the vertical stabilizer. The right side of the elevator was also separated and found at the right wing area. The elevator cables were attached. The vertical stabilizer and rudder had impact damage and remained attached. Both rudder cables were attached to the rudder horn. The rudder balance weight remained attached. No airframe anomalies were noted during the on-site examination. The engine remained partially attached to the firewall and was displaced downward approximately 30 degrees and to the left about 20 degrees. The engine was removed from the airframe and partially disassembled for examination at the site. The alternator, right magneto, oil cooler, oil filter, engine driven fuel pump, carburetor, induction tubing, exhaust system and engine mount were impact damaged. The carburetor was impact fractured across the throttle bore and partially separated from the engine. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was removed and found free of contaminants. A liquid with an o