The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released their preliminary report of a plane crash May 25 near Hinch Mountain In Cumberland County.

The body of 35-year-old Vasile Ghelan was found in the wreckage several hours after the plane he was piloting went down in a wooded area behind a farm on the 2,900 block of Old Highway 28.

The report states:

On May 25, 2021, about 0730 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American AA-5A, N26889, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Crossville. The student pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

Preliminary radar data obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an interview with the student pilot’s flight instructor, and telephone records revealed that the airplane departed Crossville Memorial Airport on the second leg of its flight about 0715. The airplane’s next planned stop was Cleveland Regional Jetport in Cleveland, Tennessee.

The airplane climbed on a southerly track to 3,700 ft msl before beginning a gradual descent about 0718. The airplane continued its descent on its southerly track until about 0723 and 3,000 ft msl, when the airplane entered a 450° descending right turn.

At 0726, about 2,300 ft msl, the student pilot placed a telephone call to his flight instructor’s cellular telephone. According to his instructor:

“He called me from the air. He said the airplane’s engine was not making full power; making 75 knots at 1,700 rpm. Normal cruise was around 2,400rpm about 95 knots airspeed. Initially, his demeanor was quite calm, and remained calm while he was talking to me. I helped him with troubleshooting, I asked about fuel state, magnetos on, carb heat position, and the instruments were all in the green, but the engine was not making full power, and the airplane could not climb. From there, I asked where he was, what is your closest airport, and he thought he was 40 to 50 miles from Crossville and didn’t think he could make it back. I remember telling him to land at the nearest airport and I would pick him up, but he said he had slowed to 70 knots. I told him to make an emergency landing in a field, and he said there were trees and mountains and I asked if he was talking to ATC, and he said he was not. Soon after, I heard the sound of trees and impact and the connection went dead.”

The airplane completed its course reversal about 8 miles south of Crossville, and traversed a large, open, cultivated field before impacting rising terrain on a heavily wooded ridgeline.

The student pilot had begun flight lessons about 1 month prior to the accident. According to his instructor, the student had accrued 44 hours of flight experience, all of which was in the accident airplane. The student pilot was a conscientious student who flew an average of 3 times per week. The instructor stated that the student was enrolled in an online ground school, and that they would discuss the lessons before each flight. The accident was the student’s first cross-country solo flight.

The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed December 11, 2020 at 5,221.84 total aircraft hours.

Examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed the wreckage path was about 1,800 ft elevation, oriented about 030° magnetic and was about 75 ft. long. The initial impact point was in a tree about 50 ft tall, and pieces of angularly cut wood were found along the wreckage path. The airplane was consumed by post-crash fire. Remnants of each wing and the main wing spars were found adjacent to main fuselage area. The tail section was impact damage but remained largely intact.

Control cable continuity was established from the control column and rudder pedals to the rudder and elevators. Continuity was established from the control column through breaks at each wing root, out to the ailerons. The cable breaks displayed features consistent with overload failure. The instrument panel and its contents were consumed by fire. The engine displayed significant fire damage, and the accessories along with their associated wires, hoses, and fittings, were consumed by fire.

The full preliminary report can be seen by clicking on the following link:

NTSB report plane crash Cumberland Co

A final report from the NTSB will be released at a later date.