20101101050729A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aerostar AC M20E · Seligman, AZ · November 1, 2010

Date: November 1, 2010 · 00:30 local
Place: Seligman, AZ
Airport: Seligman
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9614V
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR11CA036
Reported as: Aerostar AC M20E
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 350 total37 in this make and model37 in the last 90 days

N9614VRegistration cancelled Feb 15, 2013 · Aerostar Acft Corp Of Texas M20ES/N 21-0020 · Built 1971 Airframe modelAerostar Acft Corp Of Texas M20E Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

Pilot became disoriented during night flight and began a descent to land at an airport that was not the destination airport. Destination airport boulder city, NV (bvu) field elevation is 2201 feet and the accident airport Seligman, AZ (P23) is 5235 feet. During descent pilot struck the ground at an altitude of 5421 feet while on a crosswind heading.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED DURING NIGHT FLIGHT AND BEGAN A DESCENT TO LAND AT AN AIRPORT THAT WAS NOT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. DESTINATION AIRPORT BOULDER CITY, NV (BVU) FIELD ELEVATION IS 2201 FEET AND THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT SELIGMAN, AZ (P23) IS 5235 FEET. DURING DESCENT PILOT STRUCK THE GROUND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5421 FEET WHILE ON A CROSSWIND HEADING.

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 WPR11CA036Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportSeligman, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight planning.Nov 1, 2010 · Substantial damage