What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft reported a problem with cabin pressure at FL260 and was cleared down to FL150, radio and radar contact was lost shortly thereafter, crashed and destroyed by fire. (-23) Piper PA-31-T1 destroyed after uncontrolled descent into terrain. Pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries. Pilot advised slc center that he had a problem with cabin pressure while at 27,000 feet MSL. He was given a clearance to descent to 15,000 feet and subsequently, radio and radar contact was lost. (.4)the pilot had filed an IFR flight plan for 25,000 feet MSL, and he amended it to 27,000 feet MSL en route. About 36 minutes after the altitude change to 27,000 feet, the pilot advised ATC that had lost cabin pressurization and needed an immediate descent. About 20 seconds later he was cleared to 25,000 feet, then 15 seconds later to 15,000 feet. Shortly after the pilot acknowledged the lower altitudes, the radio communications deteoriated to microphone clicks with no carrier. The aircraft started a shallow descent with slight heading changes, then was observed to make a rapid descent into desert terrain. About 10 months prior to the accident the aircraft had been inspected in accordance with the Piper cheyenne progressive inspection 100-hour cycle, event no. 1. According to the servicing agency, the aircraft inspection was completed and the aircraft was returned to service with a 12,500 feet MSL altitude restriction due to unresolved oxygen system issues. The last oxygen bottle hydrostatic check noted on the bottle was October 1989. The oxygen system was in need of required maintenance and the masks were in a rotted condition. The pilot failed to report his severe coron ary artery disease conditions, angioplasty, medications, and other conditions to his FAA medical examiner for the required flight physical.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT REPORTED A PROBLEM WITH CABIN PRESSURE AT FL260 AND WAS CLEARED DOWN TO FL150, RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CRASHED AND DESTROYED BY FIRE. (-23) PIPER PA-31-T1 DESTROYED AFTER UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO TERRAIN. PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. PILOT ADVISED SLC CENTER THAT HE HAD A PROBLEM WITH CABIN PRESSURE WHILE AT 27,000 FEET MSL. HE WAS GIVEN A CLEARANCE TO DESCENT TO 15,000 FEET AND SUBSEQUENTLY, RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. (.4)THE PILOT HAD FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FOR 25,000 FEET MSL, AND HE AMENDED IT TO 27,000 FEET MSL EN ROUTE. ABOUT 36 MINUTES AFTER THE ALTITUDE CHANGE TO 27,000 FEET, THE PILOT ADVISED ATC THAT HAD LOST CABIN PRESSURIZATION AND NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT. ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER HE WAS CLEARED TO 25,000 FEET, THEN 15 SECONDS LATER TO 15,000 FEET. SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE LOWER ALTITUDES, THE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS DETEORIATED TO MICROPHONE CLICKS WITH NO CARRIER. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A SHALLOW DESCENT WITH SLIGHT HEADING CHANGES, THEN WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A RAPID DESCENT INTO DESERT TERRAIN. ABOUT 10 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PIPER CHEYENNE PROGRESSIVE INSPECTION 100-HOUR CYCLE, EVENT NO. 1. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICING AGENCY, THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE WITH A 12,500 FEET MSL ALTITUDE RESTRICTION DUE TO UNRESOLVED OXYGEN SYSTEM ISSUES. THE LAST OXYGEN BOTTLE HYDROSTATIC CHECK NOTED ON THE BOTTLE WAS OCTOBER 1989. THE OXYGEN SYSTEM WAS IN NEED OF REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND THE MASKS WERE IN A ROTTED CONDITION. THE PILOT FAILED TO REPORT HIS SEVERE CORON ARY ARTERY DISEASE CONDITIONS, ANGIOPLASTY, MEDICATIONS, AND OTHER CONDITIONS TO HIS FAA MEDICAL EXAMINER FOR THE REQUIRED FLIGHT PHYSICAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.