At about 12:30 EST, a Mooney 231 crashed into mountains near Counts, killing the pilot. A witness stated that he had intended to buy the accident airplane from the pilots corporation. The pilot flew the airplane to Mooresville, N.C., the day before the accident for a pre-purchase inspection. The inspection found numerous discrepancies, including the fuel flow being too high, the right magneto inoperative, low pressure on two engine cylinders, two exhaust manifolds leaking, various oil leaks, an inaccurate fuel gauge, a spongy left brake, and the left forward engine mount rusted. When the witness declined to buy the plane, the pilot became quite upset and departed the airport shortly before noon. There was no evidence that the pilot communicated with any air traffic control facilities during the flight. The wreckage was found on the western side of a wooded, 2,200-foot mountain. The weather nearby was reported as clear. The 25 year-old pilot had been issued a private pilot certificate in November 1998 and he was listed as the president of the corporation that owned the airplane.
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