# Accident 20180111000659A: Piper PA-23-250, Ruby Valley, NV, January 11, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 11, 2018, 18:00 local time
- Place: Ruby Valley, NV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2314° N, 115.5333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2314&lon=-115.5333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N54857, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N54857) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-23-250 (registry code 7102308, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-250
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 291 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA073) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180111000659A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 11, 2018, ABOUT 1800 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-23-250 AIRPLANE, N54857, COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 42 MILES SOUTH OF ELKO, NEVADA.  ACCORDING TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC), THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ENCOUNTERING CLOUDS AND WAS ASKED BY THE CONTROLLER IF HE WOULD LIKE INFORMATION ON NEARBY AIRPORTS. THE PILOT ASKED FOR THE NEAREST AIRPORT AND THAT HE WOULD ?HEAD OVER THERE.?  DIRECTIONS AND INFORMATION ON ELKO REGIONAL AIRPORT (EKO), ELKO, NEVADA WERE PROVIDED TO THE PILOT. HE REPLIED, ?ALRIGHT, I?M GETTING SUPER TURBULENT OVER HERE I?M GOING TO HEAD OVER THERE.? SHORTLY AFTER, COMMUNICATION AND RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST.

## 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 WPR18FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA073), Jan 12, 2018: Piper PA 23-250 (N54857), Elko, NV, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning, which resulted in the flight over mountainous terrain into forecast instrument meteorological conditions, icing, and mountain wave, and resulted in…

## Other reports on N54857 (3)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20080318014569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080318014569I), Mar 18, 2008: Piper PA23250 (N54857), Richmond, VA, Minor damage. (-23) Pilot made emergency landing at kric due to right engine failure in flight. Upon investigation, found the RH engine #3 cylinder separated from the…
- [Incident 19860124008719I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860124008719I), Jan 24, 1986: Piper PA23250 (N54857), Windsor Locks, CT, Minor damage. Pilot forgot to extend the landing gear.
- [Accident 19791111039922A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791111039922A), Nov 11, 1979: Piper PA23250 (N54857), Stamford, CT, Minor damage. Unaware of collision of overtaking company aircraft whose wing hit his right prop. Found prop damage when landed.

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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