Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee, October 31, 2002
On October 31, 2002 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N15704, was destroyed in an accident near Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee (Virginia Highlands airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain, which resulted in an inflight collision with mountainous terrain. Factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and failure to obtain weather information, which resulted in an inflight encounter with adverse weather.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 2002 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee · Virginia Highlands · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N15704 · registry record · serial 73-35083
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was in visual cruise flight over mountainous terrain at 6,500 feet when he noticed clouds building at 5,000 feet and decided to return to the airport. The pilot descended through a half- to one-mile gap in the clouds, and, at 4,500 feet, clear ice began to form rapidly on the airplane. The pilot descended to 2,500 feet in a mountain valley and the airframe ice began melting. The pilot then initiated a climb to clear a ridgeline, but the airplane collided with trees and caught fire. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Recorded weather data revealed low ceilings in the vicinity throughout the morning. The pilot stated he did not obtain a weather briefing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 188 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,870 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 2002; 107 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: INT Laurel Bloomery TN at 2:00 pm
- Destination: VJI Abingdon VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,900 ft; clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from KVJI, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.