19991014031719A

(.19) On October 14, 1999 at 2000 hours pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-31-350, N1024B, was destroyed by impact with mountainous terrain, 11 miles north of North Las Vegas, Nevada. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The aircraft, transporting banking paperwork, was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 135 by ameriflight, inc., as flight 121, a nonscheduled on-demand cargo flight destined for sacramento, California. An instrument flight plan was filed; however, the flight departed VFR from the North Las Vegas airport about 1952, and was operating under visual flight rules at the time of the accident. Night, visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to federal aviation administration FSDO personnel, because his instrument flight release was not available when the pilot was ready for takeoff, the pilot elected to depart under visual flight rules with the intention of picking up the flight's instrument clearance when airborne. After takeoff, the aircraft was observed to depart the airport area to the north in the direction of the accident site. The night was reported to have been very dark with only a small (new) moon visible. The pilot was in radio contact with nellis approach control at the time radio and radar contact was lost near the accident site. The aircraft impacted on a large boulder on the south face of gass peak at the 5,200-foot (MSL) level. The site is on a rocky, arid slope about 40 degrees. There was a post impact fire. (.4)on October 4, 1999, at 1946 hours PDT, a Piper PA-31-350, N1024B, was destroyed by impatch with mountainous terrain, 11 miles norht of North Las Vegas, Nevada. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant was fatally injured. The aircra, transport banking paperwork, was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 135 by ameriflight,inc., as flight 121, a nonscheduled on-demand cargo flight destined for sacramento, California. An instrument flight plan was filed; however, the flight departed VFR from the norht las Vegas airport at 1941, and was operating under flight rules at the time of ht accident. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The operator reported that the outbound freight, approximately 300 pounds of bank paperwork, arrived at the North Las Vegas airport about one hour late and the flight was departing behind schedule. Because his instrument flight release was not available when he was ready for takeoff, the pilot elected to depart under visual flight rules with the intention of picking up the flight's instrument clearance when airborne. Before issuing takeoff clearance, norht las Vegas air traffic control tower instructed the pilot to reset his transponder to a VFR code and issued a recommended heading after takeoff of 340 degrees. After takeoff on runway 7, the aircraft was observed to turn left and depart the airport area to the north in the direction of the accident site. The pilot was in radio and radar contact with nellis approach control at the time radar contact was lost near the accident site. Local law enforcement pilots, patrolling the city in a helicopter, reported that the night was very dark with only a small new moon visible to the southwest. Gass peak and the adjacent ridgeline were not visible in the night sky. As they were patrolling, they saw the bright flash of the fire when the aircraft impacted the mountain and proceeded to the location. Their helicopter was equipped with a flir (forward looking infrared sensor) which they emp loyed to locate the ridgeline. (-23)aircraft departed North Las Vegas airport (vgt) at approx 1941 local enroute to sacramento executive airport (sac). After takeoff pilot climbed and turned north to a suggested heading of 340 and contacted nellis afb control at 1942 hrs local. Nellis afb confirmed radar contact at 1944 hrs local nellis afb lost radar contact with amflight 121 and received calls from 2 aircraft who had witnessed a large bright flash to the northwest in the area of gass peak in the las Vegas range. Metro las Vegas police helicopter arrived onscene at approx 1957 hrs local and confirmed aircraft had crashed and was consumed by post impact fire at an elevation of approx 5,2000 ft MSL. Pilot, the sole occupant was fatally injured.