19971023030899A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Juneau, AK · October 23, 1997

Date: October 23, 1997 · 14:45 local
Place: Juneau, AK
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: LABA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N30505
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC98FA006
Reported as: Piper PA32300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,746 total643 in this make and model191 in the last 90 days

N30505Registration cancelled May 20, 1999 · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-7840199 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Struck cloud obscured rising terrain trying to negotiate a pass. (.4)the pilot was flying through a mountain pass when the airplane collided with rising terrain and was destroyed by fire. The flight had been delayed several hours due to low ceilings, and the pilot was in a hurry to return due to plans for the evening. Another company pilot who immediately preceded him along a parallel route, and another pilot in the area, stated that they did not believe the pass where the accident occurred was open. The ceiling was broken with overcast layers above 1,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). The airplane impacted in a level attitude, with the wings parallel to the slope, at 2,600 feet MSL. No abnormalities were discovered with the airplane or engine. Due to rain, snow and freezing temperatures, the wreckage was located two days later.

As the FAA filed it

STRUCK CLOUD OBSCURED RISING TERRAIN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A PASS. (.4)THE PILOT WAS FLYING THROUGH A MOUNTAIN PASS WHEN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN AND WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN DELAYED SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO LOW CEILINGS, AND THE PILOT WAS IN A HURRY TO RETURN DUE TO PLANS FOR THE EVENING. ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT WHO IMMEDIATELY PRECEDED HIM ALONG A PARALLEL ROUTE, AND ANOTHER PILOT IN THE AREA, STATED THAT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THE PASS WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WAS OPEN. THE CEILING WAS BROKEN WITH OVERCAST LAYERS ABOVE 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, WITH THE WINGS PARALLEL TO THE SLOPE, AT 2,600 FEET MSL. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE DISCOVERED WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE. DUE TO RAIN, SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES, THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED TWO DAYS LATER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC98FA006Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportJuneau, AKThe pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather. Related factors were the low ceilings, mountainous terrain, and self induced pressure by the pilot to complete the flight and return for the evening.Oct 23, 1997 · Destroyed

Other reports on N30505 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19940510021909IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Juneau, AKLow oil pressure on test flight returned safely. Oil line at firewall fitting under uphostery loose. Leaked oil.May 10, 1994 Accident 19930618019709AScud Running · Juneau, AKEntered clouds trying to fly through a pass. Made 180 turn. Impacted on glacier. Inadequate training manual a factorJun 18, 1993 · Substantial damage