# Accident 20150222002019A: Piper PA-46, Spokane, WA, February 22, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 22, 2015, 13:27 local time
- Place: Spokane, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.6588° N, 117.4260° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Spokane, WA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.6588&lon=-117.4260&mi=10
- Aircraft: C-GVZW (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-46
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, unknown or foreign certificate
- Pilot flight hours: 668 total, 405 in this make and model, 226 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150222002019A

## Narrative

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

THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT WAS IN TRANSIT FROM CANADA AND LANDED AT SPOKANE FELTS FIELD (KSFF) TO CLEAR CUSTOMS AND FOR REFUELING.

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KSFF RUNWAY 22R ENROUTE TO STOCKTON METROPOLITAN AIRPORT (KSCK) VIA THE FELTS 3 DEPARTURE. DURING CLIMB-OUT, ATC QUERIED THE PILOT IF HE WAS GOING TO TURN TO HEADING 190 PER THE DEPARTURE. THE PILOT REPLIED HE WAS HAVING ENGINE TROUBLE AND WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE CONTROLLER CLEARED HIM TO LAND ON ANY RUNWAY. THE PILOT RESPONDED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN AND ASKED FOR SUGGESTIONS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED BELOW RADAR COVERAGE.

WITNESSES DESCRIBE HEARING THE ENGINE OPERATING ERRATICALLY AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING IN A LEFT BANK, PITCHING UP, AND THEN BANKING RIGHT.

THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND IN A RIGHT BANK UNTIL THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE RAILROAD TRACKS AT THE EAST END OF A RAILROAD BRIDGE, APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF KSFF RUNWAY 22R. THE AIRCRAFT SLID DOWN THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BRIDGE EMBANKMENT, CONTINUED ACROSS THE ROAD BELOW THE BRIDGE, AND SLID INTO A CONCRETE ABUTMENT AT THE WEST END OF THE BRIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN AGAINST THE ABUTMENT. BOTH WINGS WERE DETACHED BUT NEAR THE FUSELAGE. THE BAGGAGE DOOR AND PARTS OF THE PROPELLER WERE LOCATED ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS. THE RADOME WAS LOCATED ON THE BRIDGE EMBANKMENT. THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE WAS PARTIALLY CAVED-IN. THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE PILOT (SOLE OCCUPANT) WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND SUCCUMED TO HIS INJURIES TWO DAYS LATER.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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