20070105000459A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Manzanola, CO · January 5, 2007

Date: January 5, 2007 · 06:50 local
Place: Manzanola, CO
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8231D
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN07FA045
Reported as: Piper PA34200T
Reported engine: Continental TSIO360*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 250 total100 in this make and model

N8231DRegistration cancelled May 19, 2015 · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-8070260 · Built 1980 Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200T Engine modelContinental TSIO-360 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 pilot privacy data omitted departed pueblo memorial airport (kpub) for tyler, Texas in a senaca (PA-34-200T - N8231D) at approximately 0639 MST on January 05, 2007 with the tower reporting 2000 overcast, visibility 10 miles and calm winds. Pub departure control provided "flight following" to approximately 20 miles southeast when he was cleared off frequency with a code 1200 squawk (VFR). Denver center (no radio contact) subsequently tracked him for another 6-7 minutes with erratic altitude and heading changes just before he disappeared from their radar. The aircraft was reported missing when he failed to arrive in tyler, TX later that day. The crash site was spotted and reached the morning of January 06, 2007 with no survivors (1 fatal) and the airplane completely destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED PUEBLO MEMORIAL AIRPORT (KPUB) FOR TYLER, TEXAS IN A SENACA (PA-34-200T - N8231D) AT APPROXIMATELY 0639 MST ON JANUARY 05, 2007 WITH THE TOWER REPORTING 2000 OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 10 MILES AND CALM WINDS. PUB DEPARTURE CONTROL PROVIDED "FLIGHT FOLLOWING" TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES SOUTHEAST WHEN HE WAS CLEARED OFF FREQUENCY WITH A CODE 1200 SQUAWK (VFR). DENVER CENTER (NO RADIO CONTACT) SUBSEQUENTLY TRACKED HIM FOR ANOTHER 6-7 MINUTES WITH ERRATIC ALTITUDE AND HEADING CHANGES JUST BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR RADAR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING WHEN HE FAILED TO ARRIVE IN TYLER, TX LATER THAT DAY. THE CRASH SITE WAS SPOTTED AND REACHED THE MORNING OF JANUARY 06, 2007 WITH NO SURVIVORS (1 FATAL) AND THE AIRPLANE COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE.

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 DEN07FA045Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportManzanola, COthe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane after an inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions resulting in the subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, self-induced…Jan 5, 2007 · Destroyed

Other reports on N8231D · 2

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

Accident 19870530017699ALevel Off Touchdown · Plymouth, INThe aircraft was damaged on a porpoised landing. Pilot was distracted by a report of a deer on the runway.May 30, 1987 · Substantial damage Incident 19861123060129ILevel Off Touchdown · Broomfield, COPilot failed to check wheels down before landing. Pilot was flying with an inadequately charged battery.Nov 23, 1986 · Minor damage