20040715014079A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-23-160 · Ontario, OR · July 15, 2004

Date: July 15, 2004 · 08:19 local
Place: Ontario, OR
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4439P
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA04FA133
Reported as: Piper PA23160
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,000 total

N4439PRegistration cancelled Aug 19, 2013 · Piper PA-23-160S/N 23-1956 · Built 1961 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-160 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) The aircraft was observed by witnesses to descend into the ground in a spin. Both pilots received fatal injuries. Pilot log books could not be located so experience levels are unknown. Total pilot times were taken from medical records. One of the pilots was in contact with another aircraft that was landing at the Ontario, Oregon airport. They discussed the order they would enter the pattern for landing. Nothing was discussed about possible aircraft problems at that time which was close to the same time the aircraft crashed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES TO DESCEND INTO THE GROUND IN A SPIN. BOTH PILOTS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. PILOT LOG BOOKS COULD NOT BE LOCATED SO EXPERIENCE LEVELS ARE UNKNOWN. TOTAL PILOT TIMES WERE TAKEN FROM MEDICAL RECORDS. ONE OF THE PILOTS WAS IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT THAT WAS LANDING AT THE ONTARIO, OREGON AIRPORT. THEY DISCUSSED THE ORDER THEY WOULD ENTER THE PATTERN FOR LANDING. NOTHING WAS DISCUSSED ABOUT POSSIBLE AIRCRAFT PROBLEMS AT THAT TIME WHICH WAS CLOSE TO THE SAME TIME THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED.

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 SEA04FA133Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportOntario, ORThe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an aerodynamic stall while maneuvering for an approach to land.Jul 15, 2004 · Substantial damage