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19980801019079A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Cantwell, AK · August 1, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 1, 1998 · 13:40 local
Place
Cantwell, AK
Phase of flight
Scud Running
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N2350T
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC98LA105
Reported as
Piper PA28140
Reported engine
Lycoming O320A1A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
900 total
N2350TRegistration cancelled Feb 18, 2005 · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-7225054 · Built 1971Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

Flew into side of a mountain enroute. Cavu existed. Possibility flying too low and got caught in a downdraft. (From .4) the noninstrument rated pilot transmitted that he was lost in the clouds and requesting help. He began to transmit his position and heading, and then no further transmissions were overheard. The airplane was located at 7,200 feet MSL in steep, mountainous terrain extending upwards to 10,000 feet MSL. Pilots flying in the area reported VFR weather with cloud bases at 5,000 feet MSL, and cloud tops at 9,000 feet MSL. These pilots stated that most of the mountain was in the clear, and that they were able to pick their way around the clouds. The airplane and pilot could not be recovered due to hazardous terrain and inclement weather. (-23) on August 1, 1998, a Piper PA-28, aircraft N2350T departed merrill field, anchorage, AK, on a pleasure flight to fairbanks, AK. At approximately 1340 adt, the aircraft was destroyed when it impacted rising terrain at the 7,200 ft. level, 37 miles sw of Cantwell, AK. The solo private pilot received fatal injuries.

As the FAA filed it

FLEW INTO SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN ENROUTE. CAVU EXISTED. POSSIBILITY FLYING TOO LOW AND GOT CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT. (FROM .4) THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TRANSMITTED THAT HE WAS LOST IN THE CLOUDS AND REQUESTING HELP. HE BEGAN TO TRANSMIT HIS POSITION AND HEADING, AND THEN NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE OVERHEARD. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED AT 7,200 FEET MSL IN STEEP, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN EXTENDING UPWARDS TO 10,000 FEET MSL. PILOTS FLYING IN THE AREA REPORTED VFR WEATHER WITH CLOUD BASES AT 5,000 FEET MSL, AND CLOUD TOPS AT 9,000 FEET MSL. THESE PILOTS STATED THAT MOST OF THE MOUNTAIN WAS IN THE CLEAR, AND THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PICK THEIR WAY AROUND THE CLOUDS. THE AIRPLANE AND PILOT COULD NOT BE RECOVERED DUE TO HAZARDOUS TERRAIN AND INCLEMENT WEATHER. (-23) ON AUGUST 1, 1998, A PIPER PA-28, AIRCRAFT N2350T DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD, ANCHORAGE, AK, ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT TO FAIRBANKS, AK. AT APPROXIMATELY 1340 ADT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN AT THE 7,200 FT. LEVEL, 37 MILES SW OF CANTWELL, AK. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.

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 ANC98LA105Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportCantwell, AKThe pilot's intentional continued VFR flight into IMC. Factors were the scattered to broken clouds, and the mountainous terrain.Aug 1, 1998 · Destroyed

Other reports on N2350T · 1

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

Accident 19731231039349AForced Landing · Richland, WAAcft inop 14 days and fuel sumps not drained prior to flt.Dec 31, 1973 · Substantial damage