Hiking to a plane crash site off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 In the early 1980s, a small plane crashed into the mountain side near Water Rock Knob, above the Blue Ridge Parkway at MM. 451.2.

November 24, 1983, a Cessna 414 was traveling from Chicago, to the Jackson County Airport in N.C. The plane crashed at a altitude of around 6,000 feet.  Neither the Pilot nor the one passenger survived the Crash.  Weather conditions and poor visibilty at the time, was a major factor in the crash, among other reasons.

We drove up the BRP in July of 2017 with the goal of finding the crash site, and what remained of the plane.  I had read earlier in my research that only the engines were salvaged from the crash.  We parked at the Water Rock Knob overlook parking area, and began the hike of the paved trail to Water Rock Knob.  Per my research, I knew we would be looking for a faint unmarked trail leading to the left just before reaching Water Rock Knob.  We found the trail.  

To say the trail out to the crash site is unmarked is a under statement.  Makeshift signage on a tree, and a occasional piece of survey tape on a limb, was the only indicators we had.  We marked our track on the GPS in case we needed it to be able to find our way back out, but luckily, we did not need it.

 

The hike out to the crash site was strenuous at times, but beautiful.  On the way up, we encountered Turks Cap lilies, North Carolina's state flower.

Turk's Cap Lily

On the trail..

When the plane came into view, we wondered if the passengers died on impact, and if not what were their final moments like.  It was a somber experience.

First look.

We continued on down to the site, and observed a moment of silence to honor the lost.  We had a look around, took a few photos a left.   It was a strange feeling being there.  It was also a great adventure.

Here are some photos of the plane. 

Rest their souls.