# Accident 20111123027449A: Rockwell International 690A, Gold Canyon, AZ, November 23, 2011 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 23, 2011, 17:32 local time - Place: Gold Canyon, AZ - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.4392° N, 111.4506° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4392&lon=-111.4506&mi=10 - Aircraft: N690SM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N690SM-2013-04-22) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Rockwell International 690A (registry code 7630515, https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-690a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: AiResearch TPE331-5&6SER (registry code 01515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-5-6ser) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL 690A - Reported engine: AIRESEARCH TPE331-5&6SER - People aboard: 6 - Fatal injuries: 6 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 2,150 total, 57 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR12MA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12MA046) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111123027449A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FALCON FIELD MESA AZ (FFZ) FROM RUNWAY 04R AT APPROXIMATELY 1826 LOCAL TIME IN NIGHT VMC, UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF SAFFORD AZ (SAD), WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN ON FILE. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW STRAIGHT OUT UNTIL THE ATCT LOCAL CONTROLLER ISSUED A "RIGHT TURN APPROVED" CLEARANCE TO THE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW ON COURSE EAST, ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 095 DEGREES. ATC DATA SHOWS AIRCRAFT CLIMBING ON COURSE AND LEVELING OFF AT 4500 FEET MSL, STAYING UNDER CLASS B AIRSPACE, TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 200 KNOTS. ATC DATA SHOWS THAT THE AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED HEADING AND ALTITUDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.1 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF CLASS B AIRSPACE RESTRICTION AND IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS AT APPROXIMATELY 4650 FT MSL AND ORIENTED WEST TO EAST. POST IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE. SECURITY VIDEO SHOWED AIRCRAFT TRAVELING WHAT APPEARED TO BE STRAIGHT AND LEVEL UNTIL IMPACTING THE MOUNTAIN, WITH AN INITIAL FIREBALL BELOW THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AND A SECOND MUCH LARGER FIREBALL RISING ABOVE THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT IS INDICATED BY LATERAL MARKS IN THE ROCK FORMATIONS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY THE WING LEADING EDGES. AFTER IMPACT THE WRECKAGE TRAVELED UP A 60 DEGREE SLOPE FOR APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET, WHERE THE WING SPAR, WINGS, AND AFT PORTIONS OF THE ENGINES WERE FOUND. APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET UP THE SLOPE THERE IS A VERTICAL ROCK FACE RISING APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET. WRECKAGE OTHER THAN THE MAIN WRECKAGE, WAS DISTRIBUTED SOMEWHAT RANDOMLY AND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE IMPACT VELOCITY, DENSITY OF MATERIAL AND RESULTING MOMENTUM. SOME OF THE PIECES OF THE WRECKAGE WERE FOUND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE 150 FOOT VERTICAL ROCK FACE IN THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT AND APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET FROM THE IMPACT POINT. THIS OTHER WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE EXPLOSIVE FORCE OF WHAT WAS OBSERVED AS THE SECOND FIREBALL. ## 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 WPR12MA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12MA046), Nov 24, 2011: Rockwell 690 (N690SM), Apache Junction, AZ, destroyed, 6 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a safe ground track and altitude combination for the moonless night visual flight rules flight, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the… ## Other reports on N690SM (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19960529018389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960529018389I), May 29, 1996: Gulstm 690A (N690SM), Chicago/Wheelin, IL, Minor damage. Narrative: Mr. Tameris completed an ILS approach to rwy 16 at pwk with a circle to rwy 34. He stated that " the bottom dropped out " on short final. Power was… 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.