Aircraft Collision with Terrain in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (N799TM)

Pre-Flight Communications and Weather Briefing About 30 minutes before the accident, the pilot of N799TM contacted the FAA Gainesville, Georgia, Flight Service Station (FSS) to file an instrument flight plan. The planned route was from Jackson County Airport in Sylva, North Carolina, to Pensacola, Florida. During the briefing, the FSS briefer provided current weather conditions and referenced a flight precaution for mountain obscuration throughout the day. The pilot indicated he was looking through a hole and was confident he could stay VFR, noting he could see the top of the clouds and a little bit of the blue. The briefer also issued a flight precaution for moderate turbulence below 10,000 feet, to which the pilot responded that he would be looking for it. Before departing, the pilot asked how to activate the IFR flight plan once airborne, and the briefer informed him he could open it after takeoff. ## Accident Sequence and Discovery There were no further communications with the aircraft after it became airborne. Witnesses near the accident site reported hearing an airplane flying low in a southerly direction. The engine sound faded, followed by a rev-up and the sound of trees breaking with a loud thump. Witnesses stated visibility was limited to about 50 feet due to heavy fog. A search team was dispatched but could not locate the aircraft due to inclement weather. The following day, the aircraft was found on the side of Savannah Ridge Mountain at an elevation of 4,400 feet, 5 miles south of Jackson County Airport. ## Post-Accident Examination Post-accident examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories revealed no anomalies.