Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40 accident near Blairsville, Georgia, August 30, 2013
On August 30, 2013 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 2004 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40, registered N447JP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Blairsville, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into deteriorating weather, which resulted in an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent inability to maintain clearance with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2013 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blairsville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40, built 2004
- Registration
- N447JP · no longer on the register · serial 40.347
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was at 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl) when he encountered a dark cloud. The pilot decided to descend to 4,500 msl through a “hole” in the clouds and when he “popped” out of the cloud he realized he was going to impact trees. He pulled back on the yoke and the airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the left wing and empennage had separated from the airplane post-impact. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operations.
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
What happened, in order
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (descent) defining event
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (descent)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Obscuration › Ability to respond/compensate
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 355 hours in all; 291 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 304 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 4, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,247 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 2013; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360 SER (piston); 1,286 hours total
- Operator: Glm Advisory LLC
The flight
- Departed from: JZI Charleston SC at 1:00 pm
- Destination: RHP Andrews NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KRHP, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.