# Accident 19971023030899A: Piper PA32300, Juneau, AK, October 23, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 23, 1997, 14:45 local time
- Place: Juneau, AK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: LABA
- Location: 58.5802° N, 134.7696° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.5802&lon=-134.7696&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30505, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N30505-1999-05-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 1,746 total, 643 in this make and model, 191 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98FA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971023030899A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98FA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA006), Oct 23, 1997: Piper PA-32-300 (N30505), Juneau, AK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

## Other reports on N30505 (2)

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

- [Incident 19940510021909I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940510021909I), May 10, 1994: Piper PA32300 (N30505), Juneau, AK. Low oil pressure on test flight returned safely. Oil line at firewall fitting under uphostery loose. Leaked oil.
- [Accident 19930618019709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930618019709A), Jun 18, 1993: Piper PA32300 (N30505), Juneau, AK, Substantial damage. Entered clouds trying to fly through a pass. Made 180 turn. Impacted on glacier. Inadequate training manual a factor

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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