20210922016309A

ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 2055 PDT, THE LAS VEGAS FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A PART 91 CRASH, INVOLVING A 1975 PIPER PA-28R-200 SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, REGISTRATION NUMBER N3906X, SERIAL NUMBER 28R-7535348. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS IN RUGGED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, APPROXIMATELY THIRTEEN MILES WEST OF THE PAGE AIRPORT IN PAGE, ARIZONA.

THERE WAS ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A REMOTE PART OF NORTHEAST, ARIZONA AND DUE TO LIMITED ACCESS TO THE AREA, INITIAL RESPONSE WAS LIMITED TO TWO MEDICAL HELICOPTERS AND A HELICOPTER FROM THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS AN INITIAL REPORT MADE TO THE COCONINO COUNTY SHERIFF?S OFFICE, BY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE WAITING FOR THE AIRCRAFT AT THE PAGE AIRPORT, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ARRIVE ON TIME. THE FAMILY MEMBERS THEN REPORTED HAVING RECEIVED A CELLULAR TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE PASSENGER OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHO STATED THAT THEY HAD CRASHED IN THE DESERT AND WERE PINNED INSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.

RESPONDING MEDICAL PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THAT A MARINE OUTBOARD MOTOR, THAT WAS INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT, HAD SLID FORWARD AND WAS PINNING BOTH OCCUPANTS.

A SECOND MEDICAL HELICOPTER TRANSPORTED EXTRICATION EQUIPMENT TO THE SCENE AND MEDICAL CREWS WERE ABLE TO EXTRICATE THE FEMALE PASSENGER AND THEN DETERMINED THAT THE PILOT WAS DECEASED.

THE PASSENGER WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL IN SAINT GEORGE, UTAH AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.

LAS FSDO INSPECTORS ARE WORKING WITH THE NTSB, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (DPS), THE COCONINO SHERIFF?S OFFICE AND THE COCONINO COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER?S OFFICE.

ISSUES:

1. DUE TO THE REMOTE CRASH SITE LOCATION AT HIGH ELEVATIONS, ACCESS TO THE SITE IS LIMITED TO INSPECTORS BEING TRANSPORTED BY HELICOPTER, IN SMALL GROUPS.

UPDATED INFORMATION:

ADSB DATA SHOWS THAT THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM SAN MARTIN AIRPORT, NEAR HOLLISTER, CALIFORNIA AND FLEW NON-STOP TO THE CRASH SITE. THAT DISTANCE IS AT THE EXTREME PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY FOR THAT AIRCRAFT, AS PUBLISHED IN PIPER PERFORMANCE DATA.

FUEL RECORDS AT THE SAN MARTIN AIRPORT INDICATE THAT THE PILOT APPEARS TO HAVE FULLY FUELED THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.

THE FAA LOCATED A WITNESS AT THE SAN MARTIN AIRPORT WHO STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE PILOT LOAD A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CARGO, LUGGAGE AND TWO LARGE DOGS INTO THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE SCRAPED THE TAIL A COUPLE OF TIMES, AS THE PILOT TAXIED OUT FOR TAKEOFF.

THE PASSENGER WAS INTERVIEWED IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OF THE BY A DETECTIVE FROM THE SAINT GEORGE, UTAH POLICE DEPARTMENT. SHE PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING CONDENSED POINTS:

? THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE LAST FEW MINUTES WHEN SHE SAW THE PILOT ?PANICKING?, AS HE WAS QUICKLY FLIPPING SWITCHES AND TURNING KNOBS.

? PRIOR TO IMPACT THE PILOT TOLD HER TO PUT A PILLOW IN FRONT OF HER FACE.

? THE ENGINE RAN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH.

ON 09/24/2021, LAS INSPECTORS TRAVELED TO THE SITE VIA AN ARIZONA DPS HELICOPTER.

INITIAL INVESTIGATION DETERMINED:

? THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE IMPACTED TERRAIN AT A FAIRLY SHALLOW ANGLE.

? THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE IMPACTED THE TOP OF A SMALL TREE (15?), PRIOR TO IMPACT.

? THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE APPEARED TO BE ROTATING AT A VERY LOW RPM AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.

? THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE DID NOT OPERATE AFTER COMING TO REST.

? VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANKS, DID NOT REVEAL ANY NOTABLE FUEL IN EITHER TANK AND THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKS ON THE GROUND.

? CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED.

? THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF HEAVY CARGO WHICH HAD BEEN LOADED BEHIND THE FRONT SEATS. NONE OF THE CARGO HAD BEEN SECURED.

TO BE AMENDED AFTER WRECKAGE RECOVERY AND INSPECTION/TEARDOWN IS COMPLETED.