# Accident 20141230022519A: Piper PA-28-181, Vaughn, NM, December 30, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 30, 2014, 03:30 local time
- Place: Vaughn, NM
- Airport: Vaughn
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.4664° N, 105.2972° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4664&lon=-105.2972&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2558M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2558M-2018-03-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 905 total, 11 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15FA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15FA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141230022519A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON DECEMBER 30, 2014. AT APPROXIMATELY 0330 MST, A PIPER PA 28-181, N2558M, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 11 MILES SSW OF VAUGHN, NM WHILE EN ROUTE FROM GEORGETOWN, TX (GTU) TO DURANGO, CO (DRO) ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED, CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND 1 PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT GEORGETOWN, TX ON DECEMBER 29, 2014 AT 2300 CST.

## 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 CEN15FA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15FA092), Dec 30, 2014: Piper PA 28-181 (N2558M), Vaughn, NM, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from terrain.

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.

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