20131004020429A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 340A · Paulden, AZ · October 4, 2013

Date: October 4, 2013 · 12:25 local
Place: Paulden, AZ
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N312GC
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14LA005
Reported as: Cessna 340A
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-520 series
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N312GCRegistration cancelled Nov 6, 2014 · Cessna 340AS/N 340A0023 · Built 1975 Airframe modelCessna 340A Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 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.

Aircraft struck a 90? (Approx.) tall radio tower that was located at a shooting range located southwest of Paulden, AZ. Base of the tower was triangular shaped with each side being approximately 2? In length. Approximately 10? Of the tower was sheared off by the aircraft?s right wing. Aircraft then made impact with tress / ground approximately 250 yards southwest of the tower. A post-crash fire then occurred.

Witnesses stated that the aircraft made one low level pass over the range and then when it came around for a second pass, the aircraft struck the radio tower. Witnesses stated that aircraft did not appear to have a malfunction and that the aircraft was traveling at a high rate of speed.

A review of the aircraft wreckage revealed nothing to support that a mechanical failure had occurred.

Weather at the time of the accident was clear with winds from 5 to 8 KTS n to nne.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT STRUCK A 90? (APPROX.) TALL RADIO TOWER THAT WAS LOCATED AT A SHOOTING RANGE LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF PAULDEN, AZ. BASE OF THE TOWER WAS TRIANGULAR SHAPED WITH EACH SIDE BEING APPROXIMATELY 2? IN LENGTH. APPROXIMATELY 10? OF THE TOWER WAS SHEARED OFF BY THE AIRCRAFT?S RIGHT WING. AIRCRAFT THEN MADE IMPACT WITH TRESS / GROUND APPROXIMATELY 250 YARDS SOUTHWEST OF THE TOWER. A POST-CRASH FIRE THEN OCCURRED.

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MADE ONE LOW LEVEL PASS OVER THE RANGE AND THEN WHEN IT CAME AROUND FOR A SECOND PASS, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RADIO TOWER. WITNESSES STATED THAT AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A MALFUNCTION AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.

A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED NOTHING TO SUPPORT THAT A MECHANICAL FAILURE HAD OCCURRED.

WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS CLEAR WITH WINDS FROM 5 TO 8 KTS N TO NNE.

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 WPR14LA005Accident · 4 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportPaulden, AZThe pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear a radio tower while maneuvering at low altitude and his decision to make a high-speed, low pass over the gun club.Oct 4, 2013 · Substantial damage