# NTSB DCA95MA019: Piper PA-31-350, N27245, Tusayan, AZ, February 13, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Major investigation · Final report - Date: February 13, 1995, 15:36 local (22:36 UTC) - Place: Tusayan, AZ - Coordinates: 36.029632, -112.020294 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0296&lon=-112.0203&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 8 fatal, 2 serious - Status: Completed, report December 16, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 10995 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA95MA019 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10995/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA95MA019 ## Probable cause a loss of power on one engine for an undetermined reason(s), and the pilot's improper decision to return to the departure airport for landing which neccessitated maneuvering over increasingly higher terrain. Factors in the accident were: the high gusting wind, the high density altitude, the rising terrain, and the reduced single-engine performance capability of the airplane under these conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - 1 engine - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor) - aircraft performance,engine out capability - deteriorated (contributing factor) - maintenance,aaip/progressive program - inadequate, company/operator management - inadequate substantiation process, faa(organization) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The charter flight was on a return tour trip after landing at the Grand Canyon National Park airport. No fueling or maintenance was performed on the airplane while it sat on the ground for three hours. Shortly after takeoff from runway 21, the pilot transmitted that he had a problem and was declaring an emergency. He then stated '...i'm single engine right now....' The airplane was observed to be 100-200 feet above the terrain at the time. It continued flying for about 6 minutes, turning onto a crosswind, downwind, and then a right base leg for runway 21 before colliding with trees about 2.5 miles northeast of the airport. The airport is located in terrain that slopes upward from south to north and west to east. Winds were gusting to 29 knots. The density altiude was 6,870 feet. Examination of the suspect left engine did not reveal any evidence of failures or malfunctions. The investigation revealed deficiencies in the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of the airline's maintenance program, and in the airline's extension of the time-in-service interval of the engines. The airline's AAIP does not require a maximum rated power check of the engines as required by the engine manufacturer's service instruction. In addition, the TBO of the engines had been extended from 1,800 to 2,400 hours. ## Factual narrative On February 13, 1995, at 1536 MST, a Piper PA-31-350, N27245, operated by Las Vegas Airlines as flight 45, was destroyed during a forced landing approach at Tusayan, Arizona. The pilot and seven passengers received fatal injuries. Two passengers received serious injuries. The airplane, operating under 14 CFR Part 135 as an on demand charter flight, crashed about 2.5 miles northeast of the Grand Canyon Airport (GCN), Tusayan, Arizona. The flight was enroute to Las Vegas, Nevada. The pilot declared an emergency during the initial climb phase of flight after departure from runway 21. The aircraft departed GCN at 1429 on a VFR company flight plan for Las Vegas, Nevada, as a return tour flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. Weather was reported as multiple ceiling layers with 7 miles visibility in rain showers, winds out of 200 degrees at 23 knots gusting to 29 knots, temperature 42 degrees and dew point 37 degrees. According to the ATC records, the airplane declared an emergency due to a loss of engine power. The airplane was not equipped with a CVR or FDR. After the aircraft landed from its sightseeing flight into the Grand Canyon area, it sat on the ground for 3 hours. No fuel or maintenance was performed on the aircraft before it departed. The operator was on an FAA Approved Airplane Inspection Program (AAIP) and maintenance records revealed that, on February 12, 1995, the engines were inspected in accordance with event number 6 and cycle number 1 of an 8 event 4 cycle maintenance program. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N27245](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N27245-1996-06-17), registration cancelled 1996-06-17, S/N 317752121 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350 - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-7752121 - Airframe hours: 13367 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540-J2BD 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Las Vegas Airlines - Registered owner: Chartercraft Leasing And Sales - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, February 12, 1995, 1 hours before - Departed: GCN, AZ - Destination: VGT, LAS VEGAS, NV - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: GCN, Grand Canyon Natl Park, runway 21, 8,999 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: fatal; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 5,086 total, 480 in this make and model, 196 in the last 90 days, 72 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 23 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft broken - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: GCN, 2 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950213001689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950213001689A), Feb 13, 1995: Piper PA31350, Grand Canyon, AZ, Destroyed, 8 fatal. Engine out unknown reason. Tried return high density altitude over rising terrain. Unable climb. Struck trees. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.