# NTSB DEN76AD042: Piper PA-23, N3080P, Lusk, WY, March 20, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: March 20, 1976
- Place: Lusk, WY · LUSK, WY
- Location: 42.7613° N, 104.4584° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lusk, WY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7613&lon=-104.4584&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report May 24, 1976
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 153524
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN76AD042
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN76AD042

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0862  76/3/20  NR.LUSK,WY            PIPER PA-23         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 1000                    N3080P              PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  AGE 41, 304 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            20 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SHERIDAN,WY                 GOODLAND,KS
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRFRAME ICE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - DISREGARD OF GOOD OPERATING PRACTICE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, IN PERSON
        WEATHER FORECAST - WEATHER CONSIDERABLY WORSE THAN FORECAST
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                              UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1/4 MILE OR LESS                                         SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          BLOWING SNOW                                             IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 3/21/76, ACFT NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANTI ICING/DE-ICING SYS. FREEZING LVL AT GRND LVL.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3080P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3080P-1976-06-17), registration cancelled 1976-06-17, S/N 23-998, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23
- Registry model: [Piper PA-23](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23) (registry code 7102302) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19760320010889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760320010889A), Mar 20, 1976: Piper PA23, Lusk, WY, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Recovery date 3/21/76, acft not equipped with anti icing/de-icing sys. Freezing lvl at grnd lvl.

## Other investigations on N3080P (1)

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.

- [NTSB CHI68F0475](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI68F0475), Feb 23, 1967: Piper PA-23 (N3080P), Cobden, IL, substantial damage

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.

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