What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power to engine. Crashed. (.4)due to en route weather, the noninstrument-rated pilot decided to land at an en route airport. During the descent to the airport, the pilot reported a loss of engine power. The passenger stated that the airplane 'appeared to be gliding down toward a field and then it started to spin out of control.' A witness observed the airplane at 150 to 200 feet AGL with the left wing low, then perpendicular to the sky, followed by a nose low impact' short of the runway in flat terrain. Maintenance records did not reveal any uncorrected maintenance defects. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The right rear forward facing seat was found detached from the cabin floor where the nut plates pulled through the floor. Prescription and nonprescription drugs were found in the aircraft, and the toxicology was positive for verapamil, a high blood pressure medication that may be approved by FAA for use by pilots; however, the FAA records did not indicate that the pilot had requested approval to use the drug. An engine test that was run to full throttle did not reveal any discrepancies that would have contributed to a tota l loss of engine power. (-23) pilot reported power loss on downwind @ tcc rwy 26. Aircraft impacted vertically 3 miles from approach end of rwy 26. Pilot fatally injured, 2 pax received serious injuries. Accident occurred o 11/27/96 @ 1224 MST. VFR conditions prevailed, no flight plan filed.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER TO ENGINE. CRASHED. (.4)DUE TO EN ROUTE WEATHER, THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT DECIDED TO LAND AT AN EN ROUTE AIRPORT. DURING THE DESCENT TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE 'APPEARED TO BE GLIDING DOWN TOWARD A FIELD AND THEN IT STARTED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL.' A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AT 150 TO 200 FEET AGL WITH THE LEFT WING LOW, THEN PERPENDICULAR TO THE SKY, FOLLOWED BY A NOSE LOW IMPACT' SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN FLAT TERRAIN. MAINTENANCE RECORDS DID NOT REVEAL ANY UNCORRECTED MAINTENANCE DEFECTS. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. THE RIGHT REAR FORWARD FACING SEAT WAS FOUND DETACHED FROM THE CABIN FLOOR WHERE THE NUT PLATES PULLED THROUGH THE FLOOR. PRESCRIPTION AND NONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS WERE FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE TOXICOLOGY WAS POSITIVE FOR VERAPAMIL, A HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION THAT MAY BE APPROVED BY FAA FOR USE BY PILOTS; HOWEVER, THE FAA RECORDS DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE PILOT HAD REQUESTED APPROVAL TO USE THE DRUG. AN ENGINE TEST THAT WAS RUN TO FULL THROTTLE DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A TOTA L LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. (-23) PILOT REPORTED POWER LOSS ON DOWNWIND @ TCC RWY 26. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED VERTICALLY 3 MILES FROM APPROACH END OF RWY 26. PILOT FATALLY INJURED, 2 PAX RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. ACCIDENT OCCURRED O 11/27/96 @ 1224 MST. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED, NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N48PD · 1
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