# Accident 20061018029639A: Piper PA42, Prescott, AZ, October 18, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 18, 2006, 14:00 local time
- Place: Prescott, AZ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8803° N, 112.2533° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8803&lon=-112.2533&mi=10
- Aircraft: N121CS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N121CS-2007-01-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-42 (registry code 7104202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-42) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA42
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 5
- Pilot flight hours: 4,300 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07FA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07FA012) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061018029639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ATTEMPT TO PHOTOGRAPH A RUSSIAN MIG-21 IN FLIGHT 16 MILES NE OF PRESCOTT AZ. BEFORE THE ATTEMPT WAS MADE THE MIG-21 EXPERIENCED A GEAR RETRACTION PROBLEM. IT WAS AGREED BY THE PILOT OF THE PA-42, ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^, AND THE PILOT OF THE MIG ^PRIVACY DAT^ THAT THE PILOT ^PRIVACY ^ WOULD MANEUVER THE PA-42 UNDER THE MIG AND REPORT THE CONDITION OF THE MIG LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT WERE CIRCLING IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. IT APPEARS THE PA-42 APPROACHED FROM UNDER AND TO THE LEFT OF THE MIG AND REPORTED "THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DOOR OR GEAR", BUT THE STATEMENT WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE MIG PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PILOT ^PRIVACY ^ BUT NO FURTHER REPLY WAS HEARD FROM THE PILOT ^PRIVACY ^. THE MIG OBSERVED A COLUMN OF SMOKE FROM THE GROUND AND REPORTED IT TO THE PRC TOWER. THE MIG RETURNED TO PRC AND LANDED. THE PA-42 CRASHED KILLING THE FIVE OCCUPANTS. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INVERTED. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE, INDICATING AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE TAIL PORTION OF THE PA-42.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX07FA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07FA012), Oct 18, 2006: Piper PA-42 (N121CS), Prescott, AZ, destroyed, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot following a jet aircraft to maintain adequate separation from the high velocity jet core exhaust. The separation of the T-tail upper section vertical stabilizer of the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.