[2] Both aircraft were destroyed and all passengers and crew were killed,[2] including John T. McNaughton, an advisor to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.

The aircraft were both operating under instrument flight rules and were in radio contact with the Asheville control tower, though on different frequencies.

A review of the investigation conducted 39 years after the accident upheld the original findings that had placed primary responsibility on the Cessna pilot.

While the Boeing 727 was still on its takeoff roll, John D. Addison (48), the pilot of the Cessna 310 N3121S, reported: "Two one Sierra just passed over the VOR, we're headed for the ... for .. ah .. Asheville now."

Houle claimed that these conflicts of interest led the NTSB to avoid citing either Piedmont or FAA controllers as the primary causes of the accident.