What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/09/2020 at 2200 MST, N6402X, zenith 601 hds, experimental amateur built aircraft struck on a northeast face of a small mountain, 2 miles directly northwest of runway 22 approach, ak-Chin regional airport (A39). From radar data analysis it looks to be that the aircraft was (cfit) controlled flight into terrain. Approximate wreckage site lat/long is 33.001710 n -111.880623 w. aircraft was destroyed on impact causing a fire on the hill top and the pilot suffered fatal injuries. At this time accident looks to be pilot error. Aircraft teardown reveal no irregular issues mechanically or maintenance wise with the aircraft or found in the records. No issues found in the pilot records for currency and noted that the pilot had multiple experience flying in and out of A39 airport during the day and night. NTSB and FSDO contact airports division to get a better understanding of obstruction requirements. It is believed that the pilot was flying and due to complacency probably thought he was closure in the airport pattern than where he was located as from data and cameras showing the accident, the aircraft flow straight into the top 10 feet of the butte near the airport while making a stabilized base to final turn in the approach path for the runway. Further analysis is being conduct with the FSDO and NTSB to find out the requirements for installing a light ontop of the butte near A39 airport to prevent further accidents of this nature in coordination with the airports division.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/09/2020 AT 2200 MST, N6402X, ZENITH 601 HDS, EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT STRUCK ON A NORTHEAST FACE OF A SMALL MOUNTAIN, 2 MILES DIRECTLY NORTHWEST OF RUNWAY 22 APPROACH, AK-CHIN REGIONAL AIRPORT (A39). FROM RADAR DATA ANALYSIS IT LOOKS TO BE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS (CFIT) CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN. APPROXIMATE WRECKAGE SITE LAT/LONG IS 33.001710 N -111.880623 W. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT CAUSING A FIRE ON THE HILL TOP AND THE PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. AT THIS TIME ACCIDENT LOOKS TO BE PILOT ERROR. AIRCRAFT TEARDOWN REVEAL NO IRREGULAR ISSUES MECHANICALLY OR MAINTENANCE WISE WITH THE AIRCRAFT OR FOUND IN THE RECORDS. NO ISSUES FOUND IN THE PILOT RECORDS FOR CURRENCY AND NOTED THAT THE PILOT HAD MULTIPLE EXPERIENCE FLYING IN AND OUT OF A39 AIRPORT DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT. NTSB AND FSDO CONTACT AIRPORTS DIVISION TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OBSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PILOT WAS FLYING AND DUE TO COMPLACENCY PROBABLY THOUGHT HE WAS CLOSURE IN THE AIRPORT PATTERN THAN WHERE HE WAS LOCATED AS FROM DATA AND CAMERAS SHOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT FLOW STRAIGHT INTO THE TOP 10 FEET OF THE BUTTE NEAR THE AIRPORT WHILE MAKING A STABILIZED BASE TO FINAL TURN IN THE APPROACH PATH FOR THE RUNWAY. FURTHER ANALYSIS IS BEING CONDUCT WITH THE FSDO AND NTSB TO FIND OUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLING A LIGHT ONTOP OF THE BUTTE NEAR A39 AIRPORT TO PREVENT FURTHER ACCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE IN COORDINATION WITH THE AIRPORTS DIVISION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.