Piper PA-28 accident near Mt. Berry, Georgia, June 25, 1991
On June 25, 1991 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N91SM, was destroyed in an accident near Mt. Berry, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, HIS POOR INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE INTO DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE CLOUDS OBSCURING THE MOUNTAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1991 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Berry, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N91SM · registry record · serial 28-7515345
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NEWLY-CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT (A BRITISH CITIZEN) WAS RETURNING FROM A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE AIRFPLANE IMPACTED THE SIDE OF LAVENDER MOUNTAIN. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 11 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CRASH SITE WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT-RATED. DAMAGE TO TREES AND TO THE AIRFRAME WERE INDICATIVE OF A LEVEL FLIGHT, WINGS LEVEL COLLISION WITH THE TREES. THE PILOT OBTAINED SOME WEATHER INFORMATION FROM FSS EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A BRIEFING FOR HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND DID NOT OBTAIN ANY WEATHER INFO AT HIS LAST FUELING STOP.
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: 80 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,272 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 21, 1991; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northwest Georgia Aviation,Inc
The flight
- Departed from: 06A Tuskegee AL
- Destination: RMG Rome GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from MGE, 44 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL91FA124.