# Accident 20061221027899A: Piper PA28161, Big Pine, CA, December 21, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 2006, 13:15 local time
- Place: Big Pine, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.1444° N, 118.1239° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1444&lon=-118.1239&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9141Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9141Y-2008-07-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28161
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07FA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061221027899A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 12/21/2006, AT APPROXIMATELY 13:15 HOURS LOCAL, N9141Y, PIPER PA 28-161, SERIAL #28-8616014, CRASHED 12.5 MILES EAST, SOUTHEAST OF BIG PINE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND NEAR THE NORTHEAST END OF A BOX CANYON WHICH DISPLAYED CONSTANT RISING TERRAIN IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION. IT APPEARED AS IF N9141Y MAY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ENTER THIS BOX CANYON, AND ONCE WITHIN THE CANYON THERE WAS NO WAY OUT OTHER THAN PERFORMING A STEEP TURN AT A LOW ALTITUDE DUE TO THE RISING TERRAIN. GROUND SCARRING AND AIRCRAFT DAMAGE SUGGEST THAT THE LEFT WING IMPACTED ON THE SURFACE FIRST, WHICH SUGGEST THAT THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE ENTERED A STALL SPIN CONDITION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THIS CANYON. AIRCRAFT POINT OF REST: NOSE OF AIRCRAFT HEADING 250 DEGREES.

## 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 LAX07FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07FA060), Dec 21, 2006: Piper PA-28-161 (N9141Y), Big Pine, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The inadequate in-flight/planning decision of both pilots to fly up a box canyon at low altitude, and their failure to maintain clearance from the terrain.

## Other reports on N9141Y (2)

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

- [Accident 20030906022789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030906022789A), Sep 6, 2003: Piper PA28161 (N9141Y), Sacramento, CA. (-23) The pilot started the engine and began to taxi when he felt the landing gear roll onto an object. The plane stopped. The pilot waved his girlfriend into…
- [Incident 20010615017409I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010615017409I), Jun 15, 2001: Piper PA28161 (N9141Y), Tracy, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) A hotline report from an individual stated that a pilot got lost and he descended to read street signs and hit a power line. The caller stated that 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.