On October 18, 1988, a Cessna 177A (registration N30470) operated by David L. Oakley was involved in an aviation accident near LA Follette, TN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft collided with terrain while flying through marginal weather conditions where the mountains were obscured by clouds, fog, and rain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft collided with mountainous terrain approximately 27 miles north of McGhee Tyson Airport while flying through marginal weather conditions.
What happened
The pilot departed Knoxville under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions, intending to fly on a heading of 360 degrees at an altitude of 2500 feet. At the time of departure from McGhee Tyson Airport (elevation 981 feet), weather conditions included a 1900-foot overcast with visibility of 10 miles in rain and fog.
Forecasts indicated an area of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) weather to the north and northwest of Knoxville, with marginal conditions expected along the planned route of flight. The maximum elevation for the sector immediately north of Knoxville was 3900 feet. During the flight, the aircraft collided with mountainous terrain at an elevation of 2350 feet, located approximately 27 miles north of McGhee Tyson. Witnesses near the site of the accident reported that the mountains were obscured by clouds, fog, and rain at the time of the impact.
Probable cause
The aircraft collided with terrain while flying through marginal weather conditions where the mountains were obscured by clouds, fog, and rain.