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20030826022459A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Warm Lake, ID · August 26, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 26, 2003 · 12:09 local
Place
Warm Lake, ID
Phase of flight
In Traffic Pattern-Circling
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N6126J
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA03FA173
Reported as
Piper PA32R300
Reported engine
Lycoming TIO540*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
1,800 total
N6126JRegistration cancelled Apr 26, 2013 · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7680307 · Built 1976Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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) Witnesses observed the Piper lance make what appeared to be an approach to landing at a U.S. Forest service heliport located in an open meadow surrounded by forested terrain. The aircraft was observed entering a downwind and turning a base leg to final in an attempt to land in a westerly direction in the meadow. Approximately 1/4 to 1/2 way through the base leg turn, the witnesses observed the aircraft abruptly pitch down and impact the forested terrain. Both occupants and the dog were fatally injured. (Aircraft and additional pilot records are not available at this time to complete this record).

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITNESSES OBSERVED THE PIPER LANCE MAKE WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN APPROACH TO LANDING AT A U.S. FOREST SERVICE HELIPORT LOCATED IN AN OPEN MEADOW SURROUNDED BY FORESTED TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ENTERING A DOWNWIND AND TURNING A BASE LEG TO FINAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION IN THE MEADOW. APPROXIMATELY 1/4 TO 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE BASE LEG TURN, THE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY PITCH DOWN AND IMPACT THE FORESTED TERRAIN. BOTH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOG WERE FATALLY INJURED. (AIRCRAFT AND ADDITIONAL PILOT RECORDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME TO COMPLETE THIS RECORD).

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 SEA03FA173Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportWarm Lake, IDThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during final approach resulting in a stall/spin. Contributing factors were the rapidly rising terrain and trees.Aug 26, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N6126J · 1

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

Incident 19920724040879ILevel Off Touchdown · Santa Barbara, CALost electrical power on approach. Thought gear was down. Landed gear up. Did not activate emergency extension.Jul 24, 1992 · Minor damage