20191110018469A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Goodnews, AK · November 10, 2019

Date: November 10, 2019 · 18:30 local
Place: Goodnews, AK
Airport: Goodnews Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: T72A
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7721C
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC20LA004
Reported as: Piper PA-32R-300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,000 total1,190 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N7721CRegistered now · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7680060 · Built 1975 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming IO-540-K1A5DReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The flight departed runway 6, in gnu after sunset and made a right hand turn to the northwest to proceed to bet. Both the PIC and passenger stated, the aircraft engine sounded normal until impact. The PIC stated that he noticed his vertical speed indicator (VSI) indicating a 500 ft./min descent, but was unable to make the aircraft climb and attributed this to a loss of engine power. The PIC thought it was between thirty and sixty seconds between the time he noticed the aircraft was in a descent and the aircraft contacted the water. The passenger (also a pilot) stated that he did not notice any anomalies until a few seconds before impact. Reference ptrs AL09202000117 for details.

As the FAA filed it

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED RUNWAY 6, IN GNU AFTER SUNSET AND MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN TO THE NORTHWEST TO PROCEED TO BET. BOTH THE PIC AND PASSENGER STATED, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL UNTIL IMPACT. THE PIC STATED THAT HE NOTICED HIS VERTICAL SPEED INDICATOR (VSI) INDICATING A 500 FT./MIN DESCENT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE AIRCRAFT CLIMB AND ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PIC THOUGHT IT WAS BETWEEN THIRTY AND SIXTY SECONDS BETWEEN THE TIME HE NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A DESCENT AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE WATER. THE PASSENGER (ALSO A PILOT) STATED THAT HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY ANOMALIES UNTIL A FEW SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT. REFERENCE PTRS AL09202000117 FOR DETAILS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC20LA004Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportGoodnews Bay, AKThe pilot’s failure to monitor the airplane instruments during a night visual flight rules departure in dark light conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and the airplane’s descent into water.Nov 11, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7721C · 2

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

Incident 20020206000979IOther Ground Ops · Fairbanks, AK(-23) The pilot in command taxied and took off with the engine heater extension cord plugged into the airplane. Upon being informed by the controller that there appeared to be a "rope" hanging from the aircraft he returned for landing and taxied to the…Feb 6, 2002 Incident 19940718030119IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Fairbanks, AKOn landing roll observed service vehicle exiting runway. Vehicle driver mistook clearance for another vehicle.Jul 18, 1994