On January 27, 1991, a Cessna 337C (registration N2589S) operated by Vernon, Barron I & Christopher was involved in an aviation accident near Bryson City, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BY THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A non-instrument rated pilot crashed on a ridge in North Carolina after disregarding a co-owner's warning about poor weather. The wreckage was found at 5,200 feet MSL with a 1,200-foot debris field.
Flight and Warning
The flight departed Cleveland, Tennessee, en route to Sylva, North Carolina. According to the co-owner of the aircraft, he had advised the noninstrument rated pilot not to attempt the flight due to the poor weather conditions that existed in the mountainous area.
Accident Site
The aircraft wreckage was found near the top of a ridge line at 5,200 feet above mean sea level. The wreckage was distributed over an area approximately 1,200 feet in length.
Weather Conditions
Witnesses in the area of the accident site reported that at the time of the accident, the weather was less than that required for flight under visual flight rules.