# NTSB LAX73AL035: Piper PA-24, N7140P, Navajo, AZ, January 17, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: January 17, 1973
- Place: Navajo, AZ · NAVAJO, AZ
- Location: 35.1242° N, 109.5382° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Navajo, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1242&lon=-109.5382&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report April 18, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 169874
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX73AL035
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX73AL035

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0426  73/1/17    NAVAJO,ARIZ         PIPER PA-24         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 36, 399
        TIME - 1114                    N7140P              PX-  0  0  0  BUSINESS                  TOTAL HOURS, 100 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ALBUQUERQUE,N MEX           BAKERSFIELD,CALIF
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - WEATHER SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN FORECAST
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  8000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     SNOW SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      35
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          240                                                       20
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      IFR
        REMARKS- CONT FLT INTO AREA OF SEVERE TURB. BOTH OUTBD WG PANELS,AILERONS AND R HORIZ STAB SEP.RCVR 1/18/73
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7140P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7140P-1973-05-04), registration cancelled 1973-05-04, S/N 242305 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24) (registry code 7102402) (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 19730117001669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730117001669A), Jan 17, 1973: Piper PA24400, Navajo, AZ, Destroyed. Cont flt into area of severe turb. Both outbd wg panels,ailerons and r horiz stab sep. Rcvr 1/18/73

## Other investigations on N7140P (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 MIA68F0221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA68F0221), Aug 11, 1967: Piper PA-24 (N7140P), Greenville, SC, 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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