Cessna 414A accident near Waynesville, North Carolina, November 24, 1983
On November 24, 1983 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N6623C, was destroyed in an accident near Waynesville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1983 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Waynesville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N6623C · no longer on the register · serial 414A0033
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTURE AT 1417 CST, RADAR TRACK SHOWED THE ACFT CLIMBING TO & MAINTAINING 7,600 FT UNTIL ABOUT 1733 EST & 28-30 MI NORTH OF THE KNOXVILLE VOR. THE ACFT THEN DESCENDED & CROSSED THE SNOWBIRD VOR AT ABOUT 6,700 FT. THERE WERE SEVERAL UP & DOWN ALTITUDE EXCURSIONS. AFTER CROSSING SNOWBIRD VOR THE ACFT TURNED SOUTH & AGAIN THERE WERE ALTITUDE EXCURSIONS. THE FINAL RADAR CONTACT WAS AT 6,100 FT & ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE. THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT 6,000 FT MSL & 11 MI FROM THE DESTINATION. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT THE CRASH SITE INCLUDED LOW CLOUDS & PRECIPITATION. THE PLT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.04%.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 713 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 73 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1983; 157 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL
- Destination: 24A Sylva NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; scat
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from AVL, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.