On March 29, 1990, a Piper PA-28-140 (registration N55864) was involved in an aviation accident near East Ellijay, GA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A non-instrument-rated pilot without a flight plan crashed into trees in a mountainous area after receiving a weather briefing advising against VFR flight due to low clouds and rain.
Accident Overview
A pilot who was not instrument rated and had not filed a flight plan for the flight crashed into trees in a mountainous area. The wreckage was scattered over approximately 150 feet. The pilot had received a weather briefing and was advised that flight under visual flight rules (VFR) was not recommended.
Weather Conditions
The weather forecast for the vicinity of the accident site indicated conditions occasionally below those required for VFR flight. The forecast also called for mountains to be occasionally obscured in clouds and rain.
Circumstances
The pilot was not instrument rated, meaning he or she was not qualified to fly solely by reference to instruments. No flight plan had been filed for the flight. The aircraft collided with trees in the mountainous region, resulting in debris spread over about 150 feet.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the 29 Mar 1990 Piper PA-28-140 accident near East Ellijay, GA?
A non-instrument-rated pilot without a flight plan crashed into trees in a mountainous area after receiving a weather briefing advising against VFR flight due to low clouds and rain.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 29 Mar 1990 involved a Piper PA-28-140, registration N55864, at East Ellijay, GA.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
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