DEN07FA054

The airplane was the subject of an alert notification. The accident site was located in forested, mountainous terrain at an elevation 10,710 feet msl. Sunset was recorded at 1700 and the end of civil twilight was recorded at 1730. The moon rose at 0639 and set at 1516 on the day of the accident. Doppler weather radar depicted an area of light snow showers along the route of flight, near the wreckage location. An AIRMET for mountain obscuration was issued along the route of flight. According to the pilot's flight records, he had logged 3 hours of night flight experience, over a year prior to the accident. An examination of the airframe, airplane's systems, and power plant revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal and correct operation prior to impact.

History of flight

On January 17, 2007, at 2216 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N43630, registered to Archer Nevada LLC, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted mountainous terrain during cruise flight, 6 miles northwest of Centennial, Wyoming. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 on a visual flight rules flight plan. The pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. The cross-country flight departed the Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport (RKS) approximately 2115, and was en route to Grand Island, Nebraska (GRI).

According to Blue Ridge Aeronautics, a flight school in Vacaville, California, the flight departed Nut Tree Airport (VCB) approximately 1100 Pacific standard time (PST). The flight was to travel to Grand Island, Nebraska, on the 17th and continue on to Chicago, Illinois, on the 18th. The pilot reported to the flight school that he intended to follow Interstate 80 for the entire flight.

The pilot filed a flight plan and obtained a weather briefing from the McMinnville Flight Service Station on January 17, starting at 1039 PST. According to the recording, the pilot intended to fly from VCB to Elko, Nevada (EKO), on to RKS, with a final destination of GRI. The pilot filed a 13-hour flight plan with the intension to stop in EKO and RKS for fuel services. The pilot activated his flight plan with Rancho Radio at 1232 PST. No updates with regards to the flight's progress were made.

According to the airport manager in RKS, the airplane arrived approximately 2030 and obtained fuel services. The pilot purchased 24.3 gallons of fuel and a flight guide. According to the employee who fueled the airplane, "the pilot seemed very unfamiliar with the area and the terrain." The airplane did not arrive in GRI and an Alert Notification (ALNOT) was issued for the missing airplane.

According to National Track Analysis Program (NTAP) radar data, the airplane was tracked from RKS to 10 miles west of Centennial. After departure from RKS, the airplane climbed to an encoded altitude of 13,500 feet mean sea level (msl). Radar data was lost at 2216:15, at an encoded altitude of 12,900 feet msl. Search and rescue crews located the airplane wreckage approximately 0830 on the morning of January 19th.

Personnel information

The pilot, age 26, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating issued on October 12, 2006. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate on September 15, 2005. The certificate contained no limitations.

The pilot's logbook was located in the airplane wreckage. A review of the logbook indicated that the pilot had logged no less than 95 hours total time; 66 of which were in the make and model of the accident airplane. The pilot had logged only 3 hours of night flight experience; all of which was logged during his private pilot training. The last night flight entry in the pilot's logbook was made on February 6, 2006, for a total time of 1.9 hours and 4 touch and go landings. The pilot's logbook also reflected approximately 11 hours of instrument ground trainer training. According to the flight school, he was working towards his instrument rating.

Aircraft information

The accident airplane, a Piper PA-28-180 (serial number 28-7405210), was manufactured in 1974. It was registered with the Federal Aviation Administration on a standard airworthiness certificate for normal operations. The airplane was equipped with an O-360-A4A Lycoming engine rated at 180 horsepower at 2700 rpm. The engine was equipped with a Sensenich 2-blade, fixed pitch propeller.

The airplane was registered to Archer Nevada LLC, operated by Blue Ridge Aeronautics, and was maintained under the Piper Event inspection program. A review of the maintenance records indicated that an Event III inspection had been completed on November 24, 2006, at an airframe total time of 2,940.8 hours. The airplane had flown 43.8 hours between the last inspection and the accident and had a total airframe time of 2,984.6 hours.

Meteorological information

The pilot obtained a standard weather briefing from the McMinnville Flight Service Station (FSS) on January 17, starting at 0939 PST. During the briefing Airman's Meteorological Information (AIRMETs), current weather observations, satellite, en route forecasts, winds aloft forecasts, terminal aerodrome forecasts, and Notices to Airmen were discussed with the pilot. Aside from the initial weather briefing, no weather updates were provided to the pilot through the FSS or Direct User Access Terminal System (DUATS).

On January 17, at 2300, a Surface Analysis chart, prepared by the National Weather Service (NWS), National Center for Environmental Prediction, depicted a lee side slope low with a central pressure over northeastern Colorado and a high pressure system over western Colorado, resulting in a steep pressure gradient over Colorado and Wyoming. Doppler weather radar scanned the accident area at 2152:23, 2202:06, and 2211:48. Data indicated reflectivity values of -15 to 5 dBz in the accident area around the accident time.

Aviation area forecasts were issued for Wyoming the day of the accident, starting at 2045. The forecast for the southwestern quarter of Wyoming was for scattered to broken clouds at 10,000 feet, broken layers between 12,000 and 13,000 feet, with tops to 15,000 feet. Widely scattered light snow showers were expected until 2300. The forecast for the southeastern quarter of Wyoming was for scattered clouds at 11,000 feet, scattered to broken clouds at 15,000 feet, with tops to 17,000 feet. Conditions were forecast to change to scattered to broken clouds at 11,000 feet, broken clouds at 16,000 feet, with visibility 5 statute miles in light snow.

AIRMETS for mountain obscuration (SIERRA), and turbulence (TANGO) were all issued for Wyoming and Colorado, including portions of the accident airplane's route of flight. AIRMET SIERRA for mountain obscuration stated to expect mountains to be obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist, and fog. These forecast conditions were issued at 1945 and forecast to continue beyond 0200 the following day. AIRMET TANGO stated to expect moderate turbulence below flight level 180. This forecast area was just to the south of the accident airplane's route of flight.

The closest official weather observation station was Laramie Regional Airport (KLAR), Laramie, Wyoming, located 27 nautical miles (nm) east of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 7,278 feet msl. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for LAR, issued at 2153, reported, winds, 290 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 18 knots, visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature minus 10 degrees Celsius (C); dewpoint, minus 18 degrees C; altimeter, 29.94 inches.

According to the United States Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department Sun and Moon Data, the sunset was recorded at 1700 and the end of civil twilight was 1730. The moon rose at 0639 and set at 1516 on the day of the accident. The moon was waning crescent with three percent of its visible disk illuminated.

Wreckage and impact information

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) arrived on scene approximately 1300 on January 19, 2007. The accident site was located in mountainous, forested, snow covered terrain. A global positioning system receiver reported the coordinates of the main wreckage as 41 degrees 21 minutes 58.6 seconds north latitude, and 106 degrees 15 minutes 29.6 seconds west longitude. The accident site was at an elevation of 10,710 feet msl and the airplane impacted on a magnetic heading of 260 degrees.

The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was located to the east of the main wreckage. The FIPC consisted of a ground