What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was missing and the subject of an alnot since 11/06/98 when it departed on a VFR flight and disappeared.(-23) on November 6 1998 a Piper arrow)PA-28-200 departed north las vegas airport (vgt), las vegas Nevada with the intent to fly to merced CA. (Mce). The pilot and two passengers departed vgt at approximately 2145 UTC. Oakland air route traffic control center lost radar contact with the aircraft at about 2350 UTC. The aircraft was missing until November 12, 1998 where it was found crashed into the rocks at 13,500 feet at Mr. Goddard (BIH210@23.5NM). The pilot and passengers were deceased at the time of locating the aircraft. No flight plan was filed and the flight was conducted under visual flight rules. The ELT did not activate. Neither the NTSB nor the FAA conducted an on scene investigation due the inhospitable terrain and elevation. On November 6,1998 a Piper arrow)PA-28-200 departed north las vegas airport (vgt), las vegas Nevada with the intent to fly to merced CA. (Mce) the pilot and two passengers departed vgt at approximately 2145 UTC. Oakland air route traffic control center lost radar contact with the aircrft at about 2350 UTC. The aircraft was missing until November 12,1998 where it was found crashed INT0 the rocks at 13,500 feet at Mt. Goddard (BIH210@23.5NM) the pilot and passengers were deceased at the time of locating the aircraft. No flight plan was filed and the flight was conducted under visual flight rules. The ELT did not activate. Neither the NTSB nor the FAA conducted an on scene inventigation due to the inhospitable terrain and elevation. (.4) the pilot reported that he intended to fly a direct route from his departure point to the destination, a route that crossed the sierra Nevada mountains of California. Recorded radar data showed the aircraft on a northwesterly heading as it approached the mountain range from the east, cruising VFR at 14,500 feet MSL, and approaching 13,558-foot mount goddard. Forecast winds aloft were northwesterly approximately 50 knots. In the 9 minutes before the aircraft disappeared from radar, mode-c decoded altitude data showed the aircraft descended from 14,500 feet to 13,200 feet. The wreckage was located near where radar contact was lost at the 13,200-foot level on the mountain side. Two pilot reports stated that the mountain peaks were obscured in clouds. The aircraft cruised above 12,500 f eet for more than 50 minutes prior to the accident. There was no supplemental breathing oxygen aboard.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS MISSING AND THE SUBJECT OF AN ALNOT SINCE 11/06/98 WHEN IT DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT AND DISAPPEARED.(-23) ON NOVEMBER 6 1998 A PIPER ARROW)PA-28-200 DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (VGT), LAS VEGAS NEVADA WITH THE INTENT TO FLY TO MERCED CA. (MCE). THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED VGT AT APPROXIMATELY 2145 UTC. OAKLAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT AT ABOUT 2350 UTC. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MISSING UNTIL NOVEMBER 12, 1998 WHERE IT WAS FOUND CRASHED INTO THE ROCKS AT 13,500 FEET AT MR. GODDARD (BIH210@23.5NM). THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE DECEASED AT THE TIME OF LOCATING THE AIRCRAFT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE ELT DID NOT ACTIVATE. NEITHER THE NTSB NOR THE FAA CONDUCTED AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DUE THE INHOSPITABLE TERRAIN AND ELEVATION. ON NOVEMBER 6,1998 A PIPER ARROW)PA-28-200 DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (VGT), LAS VEGAS NEVADA WITH THE INTENT TO FLY TO MERCED CA. (MCE) THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED VGT AT APPROXIMATELY 2145 UTC. OAKLAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRFT AT ABOUT 2350 UTC. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MISSING UNTIL NOVEMBER 12,1998 WHERE IT WAS FOUND CRASHED INT0 THE ROCKS AT 13,500 FEET AT MT. GODDARD (BIH210@23.5NM) THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE DECEASED AT THE TIME OF LOCATING THE AIRCRAFT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE ELT DID NOT ACTIVATE. NEITHER THE NTSB NOR THE FAA CONDUCTED AN ON SCENE INVENTIGATION DUE TO THE INHOSPITABLE TERRAIN AND ELEVATION. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE INTENDED TO FLY A DIRECT ROUTE FROM HIS DEPARTURE POINT TO THE DESTINATION, A ROUTE THAT CROSSED THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT ON A NORTHWESTERLY HEADING AS IT APPROACHED THE MOUNTAIN RANGE FROM THE EAST, CRUISING VFR AT 14,500 FEET MSL, AND APPROACHING 13,558-FOOT MOUNT GODDARD. FORECAST WINDS ALOFT WERE NORTHWESTERLY APPROXIMATELY 50 KNOTS. IN THE 9 MINUTES BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR, MODE-C DECODED ALTITUDE DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED FROM 14,500 FEET TO 13,200 FEET. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED NEAR WHERE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT THE 13,200-FOOT LEVEL ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE. TWO PILOT REPORTS STATED THAT THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS WERE OBSCURED IN CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT CRUISED ABOVE 12,500 F EET FOR MORE THAN 50 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO SUPPLEMENTAL BREATHING OXYGEN ABOARD.
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 N2737R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.