# Accident 20190117000259A: Piper PA-23-250, Ellensburg, WA, January 17, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 17, 2019, 16:43 local time
- Place: Ellensburg, WA
- Airport: Bowers Field
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.9472° N, 120.5128° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9472&lon=-120.5128&mi=10
- Aircraft: N14372, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N14372-2019-05-22) (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
- Pilot flight hours: 1,940 total, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR19LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA066) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190117000259A

## Narrative

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

ELLENSBURG (KELN) ELEVATION 1763' MSL, REPORTED METAR WEATHER AS: 13003KT 4SM BR OVC014 02/00. N14372 DEPARTED RWY 29. WITNESS STATEMENT REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING FOR HIS HOME AIRPORT OF YKM. NO WEATHER BRIEFING WAS RECEIVED FROM 800WXBRIEF. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. PER FLIGHTRADAR24 TRACK, N14372 DEPARTED AND TURNED TO THE SOUTH WHILE CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO 5000 MSL. N14372 CONTACTED CHINOOK APPROACH AND STATED THAT HE WAS BETWEEN LAYERS AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE ILS IN YKM. CHINOOK APPROACH ISSUED SQUAWK CODE AND IT WAS NOT READ BACK BY THE PILOT. NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACT WAS MADE. FLIGHTRADAR24 TRACK SHOWED AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AT APPROXIMATELY 177KTS + FROM 5000' MSL TO THE END OF THE FLIGHT TRACK. AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT HIGH ENERGY AND APPROXIMATELY 75 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. BOTH ENGINES, PROPELLORS AND ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE LOCATED IN THE CRASH DEBRIS FIELD.

## 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 WPR19LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA066), Jan 17, 2019: Piper PA23 (N14372), Ellensburg, WA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The instrument rated pilot’s loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

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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