Cessna 337C accident near Bryson City, North Carolina, January 27, 1991
On January 27, 1991 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 337C, registered N2589S, was destroyed in an accident near Bryson City, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BY THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 1991 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bryson City, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337C · all 337Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2589S · no longer on the register · serial 337-0889
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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 WHICH EXISTED IN THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA. 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. 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.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 171 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HDI Cleveland TN at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 24A Sylva NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.