What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 4, 2015, at 1930 central standard time, a Piper PA46-500TP airplane, N301D, collided with
A tv tower guy wire while on approach to Lubbock preston smith international airport (lbb), Lubbock,
Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The
Airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. The flight was a private flight. Instrument meteorological conditions
Prevailed at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed en route. The flight departed the cavern city air terminal (cnm), carlsbad, new Mexico en route to lbb.
According to the air traffic control recording, the pilot was executing the RNAV instrument approach
To runway 35L. The controller vectored the airplane off the first approach for re-sequencing. While the airplane was being vectored for a second approach, contact with the pilot was lost and the
Airplane was no longer visible on the radar display. Attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful.
At 1853, the weather observation for lbb, which was 10 miles north of the accident site, reported wind
From 30° at 21 knots gusting to 31 knots, 8 miles visibility, overcast cloud layer at 800 feet,
Temperature 28° fahrenheit (f), dew point 25° f, and altimeter 30.24 inches of mercury. Remarks: peak
Wind from 20° at 34 knots and occasional blowing dust.
At 1947, the special weather observation for lbb reported wind from 40° at 18 knots gusting to 27
Knots, 7 miles visibility, overcast cloud layer at 700 feet, temperature 28° f, dew point 25° f, and
Altimeter 30.28 inches of mercury.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 4, 2015, AT 1930 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA46-500TP AIRPLANE, N301D, COLLIDED WITH
A TV TOWER GUY WIRE WHILE ON APPROACH TO LUBBOCK PRESTON SMITH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LBB), LUBBOCK,
TEXAS. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE
AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL. THE FLIGHT WAS A PRIVATE FLIGHT. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED EN ROUTE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE CAVERN CITY AIR TERMINAL (CNM), CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO EN ROUTE TO LBB.
ACCORDING TO THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL RECORDING, THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING THE RNAV INSTRUMENT APPROACH
TO RUNWAY 35L. THE CONTROLLER VECTORED THE AIRPLANE OFF THE FIRST APPROACH FOR RE-SEQUENCING. WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING VECTORED FOR A SECOND APPROACH, CONTACT WITH THE PILOT WAS LOST AND THE
AIRPLANE WAS NO LONGER VISIBLE ON THE RADAR DISPLAY. ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE PILOT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
AT 1853, THE WEATHER OBSERVATION FOR LBB, WHICH WAS 10 MILES NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, REPORTED WIND
FROM 30° AT 21 KNOTS GUSTING TO 31 KNOTS, 8 MILES VISIBILITY, OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER AT 800 FEET,
TEMPERATURE 28° FAHRENHEIT (F), DEW POINT 25° F, AND ALTIMETER 30.24 INCHES OF MERCURY. REMARKS: PEAK
WIND FROM 20° AT 34 KNOTS AND OCCASIONAL BLOWING DUST.
AT 1947, THE SPECIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION FOR LBB REPORTED WIND FROM 40° AT 18 KNOTS GUSTING TO 27
KNOTS, 7 MILES VISIBILITY, OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER AT 700 FEET, TEMPERATURE 28° F, DEW POINT 25° F, AND
ALTIMETER 30.28 INCHES OF MERCURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.