20230224004919A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Pilatus PC-12/45 · Stagecoach, NV · February 24, 2023

Date: February 24, 2023 · 21:45 local
Place: Stagecoach, NV
Airport: Reno/Tahoe International Airpo
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: G1IA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N273SM
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23MA113
Reported as: Pilatus PC-12/45
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 5
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,022 total110 in this make and model58 in the last 90 days

N273SMRegistered now · Pilatus PC-12/45S/N 475 · Built 2002 Airframe modelPilatus PC-12/45 Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67BTurbo-prop

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, operated byprivacy data omitted, departed Reno-Tahoe international airport (rno), Reno, Nevada, to transport a patient to salt lake city international airport (slc), salt lake city, Utah. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed and activated. A preliminary review of archived voice communication information from the federal aviation

Administration (FAA) revealed that the pilot contacted oakland air route traffic control center (ARTCC) at 2108:37, and reported that he was climbing through 15,400 ft. the controller instructed the pilot to climb and maintain flight level (FL) 250 and issued a caution for light to moderate turbulence, which was acknowledged by the pilot. No further radio transmissions were received from the accident

Pilot.

As the FAA filed it

THE FLIGHT, OPERATED BY^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED RENO-TAHOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (RNO), RENO, NEVADA, TO TRANSPORT A PATIENT TO SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SLC), SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED AND ACTIVATED. A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF ARCHIVED VOICE COMMUNICATION INFORMATION FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION

ADMINISTRATION (FAA) REVEALED THAT THE PILOT CONTACTED OAKLAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) AT 2108:37, AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 15,400 FT. THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CLIMB AND MAINTAIN FLIGHT LEVEL (FL) 250 AND ISSUED A CAUTION FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE, WHICH WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE PILOT. NO FURTHER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE ACCIDENT

PILOT.

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 WPR23MA113Accident · 5 fatalClass 2 · MajorFinal reportStagecoach, NVThe pilot’s loss of control due to spatial disorientation while operating in night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the disengagement of the autopilot for undetermined reasons, as…Feb 25, 2023 · Substantial damage