Fatal Nighttime Controlled Flight Into Terrain at Piney Flats, Tennessee

Incident Overview and Flight Details A pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was conducting a flight that originated from Biggs AAF and Davison AAF, located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The accident occurred during a nighttime cruise phase of the flight. The pilot did not realize the aircraft was flying at an altitude that was too low for the terrain. As a result, the airplane struck treetops and crashed in a wooded area on Mt. Holston, which is located near Piney Flats, Tennessee. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and the pilot was killed in the accident. No other persons were on board.