20030108000809A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Flagstaff, AZ · January 8, 2003

Date: January 8, 2003 · 12:20 local
Place: Flagstaff, AZ
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N135LA
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03FA069
Reported as: Piper PA23250
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4

N135LARegistration cancelled Oct 24, 2014 · Piper PA-23-250S/N 27-7305084 · Built 1973 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250 Engine modelLycoming TI0-541 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.

(-23) On January 8, 2003, while operating under VFR, the PIC of N135LA flew into weather surrounding the Flagstaff, Arizona, area and descended below the minimum safe altitude while attempting to land at the Flagstaff airport. After subsequently being unable to locate the airport visually due to being in the clouds, the instrument rated PIC contacted albuquerque center for an IFR clearance. ATC gave the pilot instructions to climb in the published holding pattern southeast of the flg VOR to 11000 feet. However, before the pilot could comply with the instructions, the aircraft impacted the terrain south of humphrey's peak (elevation 12633) at approximately the 9000 foot level - in level flight. This location is approximately 10 nautical miles north of the Flagstaff airport. The PIC and his three passengers wer fatally injured. The PIC had not filed a flight plan and there is no record that he received a pilot weather briefing.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JANUARY 8, 2003, WHILE OPERATING UNDER VFR, THE PIC OF N135LA FLEW INTO WEATHER SURROUNDING THE FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA, AREA AND DESCENDED BELOW THE MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT THE FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT. AFTER SUBSEQUENTLY BEING UNABLE TO LOCATE THE AIRPORT VISUALLY DUE TO BEING IN THE CLOUDS, THE INSTRUMENT RATED PIC CONTACTED ALBUQUERQUE CENTER FOR AN IFR CLEARANCE. ATC GAVE THE PILOT INSTRUCTIONS TO CLIMB IN THE PUBLISHED HOLDING PATTERN SOUTHEAST OF THE FLG VOR TO 11000 FEET. HOWEVER, BEFORE THE PILOT COULD COMPLY WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN SOUTH OF HUMPHREY'S PEAK (ELEVATION 12633) AT APPROXIMATELY THE 9000 FOOT LEVEL - IN LEVEL FLIGHT. THIS LOCATION IS APPROXIMATELY 10 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF THE FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT. THE PIC AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WER FATALLY INJURED. THE PIC HAD NOT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN AND THERE IS NO RECORD THAT HE RECEIVED A PILOT WEATHER BRIEFING.

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 LAX03FA069Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportFlagstaff, AZthe pilot's failure to comply with his instrument clearance route instruction and to maintain his assigned altitude. A factor in the accident was the poor quality of radio communications due to the severance of underground fiber optic voice and data lines for…Jan 8, 2003 · Destroyed