A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board cites weather as the main factor in a Sept. 5 crash in Bradley County that claimed the life of pilot Dr. William Edward Gist and his wife, Beth Ann.
The report says the 6
8-year-old pilot left Arlington, Tex., with his 59-year-old wife at 10:12 a.m.
local time. It made a stop at Clarksdale, Miss., at 1 p.m. CDT.
At 5:11 p.m. EDT, the Cessna 182P airplane, N58807, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Cleveland.
,The flight departed Clarksdale at 3:48 p.m. with an intended destination of Asheville Regional Airport in Asheville, N.C.
The report says the pilot proceeded eastbound on course toward AVL and climbed to 9,000 feet. At 5:06 p.m., the airplane entered a left turn as the flight approached an area of weather.
It says the pilot completed two full 360-degree turns, momentarily returning to a northeasterly course.
At about 5:11:10 the airplane entered a right turn from an approximate altitude of 9,075 feet.
The final date point was recorded at 5:11:32 with a corresponding altitude of 7,200 feet.
The initial tree impact was located about 0.56 miles northwest of the final data point.
The report says the elevation of the accident site was approximately 830 feet and estimated tree heights were 80 feet above ground level.
The debris path was about 480 feet long.