Piper PA-28-140 accident near Spruce Pine, North Carolina, July 5, 1997
On July 5, 1997 at about 1:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5807U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spruce Pine, North Carolina (Avery County-Morrison airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance after turning the wrong way in a traffic pattern.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1997 · about 1:48 pm local time
- Place
- Spruce Pine, North Carolina · Avery County-Morrison · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5807U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26636
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed runway 16, with a slight tailwind, and made a climbing left turn. About three minutes later, the airplane struck the trees on the side of a mountain, and began burning. The published procedure in the Airport Facility Directory (AFD) for departing this airport states right turning traffic patterns are recommended, due to the mountainous terrain. When queried about this fact, the pilot stated he was unable to find Avery County-Morrison Field in an AFD, and saw no signs indicating the direction of the traffic pattern. The pilot stated he looked in the AFD under both Avery County and Morrison Field. The airport is listed under Spruce Pine. The airport facility has since placed signs throughout the main building and on the runways.
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: 120 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,230 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1996; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: EZF Fredericksburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from HKY
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.