20111118027589I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Beech A36 · Laughlin, NV · November 18, 2011

Date: November 18, 2011 · 17:43 local
Place: Laughlin, NV
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N8068U
Reported as: Beech A36
Reported engine: Continental IO-550 series
People aboard: 0
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 500 total40 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N8068URegistered now · Beech A36S/N E-2725 · Built 1992 Airframe modelBeech A36 Engine modelContinental IO-550 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.

Airman was on an IFR flight between the north las vegas airport and san diego with an assigned altitude of 10,000 feet. While enroute to san diego and abeam the bullhead/Laughlin area, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence. The PIC turned off the auto pilot system and attempted to hand fly the aircraft. Airman added full power and a manifold pressure of 2600 and was still unable to maintain altitude due to the down drafts. ATC informed the PIC that he varied in altitude between 9,800 and 9,100 feet which thence created a possible conflict with opposing traffic which was at 9,000 feet. ATC vectored N8068U off course until the opposing traffic had cleared the area. La-artcc forwarded the report to the las vegas FSDO as an incident in lieu of a pilot deviation.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT BETWEEN THE NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT AND SAN DIEGO WITH AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 10,000 FEET. WHILE ENROUTE TO SAN DIEGO AND ABEAM THE BULLHEAD/LAUGHLIN AREA, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE PIC TURNED OFF THE AUTO PILOT SYSTEM AND ATTEMPTED TO HAND FLY THE AIRCRAFT. AIRMAN ADDED FULL POWER AND A MANIFOLD PRESSURE OF 2600 AND WAS STILL UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO THE DOWN DRAFTS. ATC INFORMED THE PIC THAT HE VARIED IN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 9,800 AND 9,100 FEET WHICH THENCE CREATED A POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH OPPOSING TRAFFIC WHICH WAS AT 9,000 FEET. ATC VECTORED N8068U OFF COURSE UNTIL THE OPPOSING TRAFFIC HAD CLEARED THE AREA. LA-ARTCC FORWARDED THE REPORT TO THE LAS VEGAS FSDO AS AN INCIDENT IN LIEU OF A PILOT DEVIATION.