Atlanta – Martinsville

On May 28, 1971 at 11:08 AM, Atlanta – Martinsville experienced a crash involving Rockwell Aero Commander 680, operated by Colorado Aviation, with the event recorded near Roanoke Virginia.

The flight was categorized as executive/corporate/business and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 5, passenger fatalities: 5, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. En route from Atlanta to Martinsville, while cruising under VFR mode, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling, rain and fog. In reduced visibility, the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed in a hilly terrain located in the Catawba mountain range, some 11,8 miles northwest of Roanoke. The wreckage was found three days later. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed, among them the American Actor Audie Murphy aged 45.

Aircraft reference details include registration N601JJ, MSN 680-491-161, year of manufacture 1957.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 37.2710°, -79.9414°.