LAX83FA260

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-32 300C · Buckeye, AZ · June 1, 1983

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
June 1, 1983, 02:00 local (09:00 UTC)
Place
Buckeye, AZ
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Unknown
Aircraft
N8926NPiper PA-32 300C
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
23458

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with objectUnknown
Light condition - nightFactor
Object - utility poleFactor
Altitude - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Impairment(alcohol)Pilot in commandCause

Analysis

The acft collided with a utility pole about 36 ft AGL less than a mile north of a private dirt airstrip. The acft had departed scottsdale municipal arpt at about 0045. The accident occurred at about 0200 aproximately 4 miles west of Buckeye,AZ. A witness stated that he had been with the two occupants of the acft when they were drinking with him in a local bar. The plt had invited him and the girl to fly and the witness declined but the 21 year old female accepted. Another witness saw them depart the arpt and said the departure was abnormal with the acft almost colliding into parked acft and taxiing 1500 ft on the rwy before adding full power to takeoff. Both occupants were found after theaccident with their seatbelts unfastened. The acft wreckage was strewn along a path 152 ft long on a heading of 024 degrees. Blood submitted for a toxicological examination from the plt and passenger revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent and 0.07 percent respectively. A 6 pack of beer was found near the acft with 5 of the cans opened.

Aircraft

Registration
N8926N
Reported as
Piper PA-32 300C
Category
Airplane
Serial number
32-40723
Airframe hours
3,306
Engine
Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Nelson Royce Nofsinger
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · May 9, 1983 · 20 hours before
Departed
SDL · Scottsdale, AZ
Airport
Private Strip

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
41
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Wind
250° at 10 knots
Visibility
35 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
PHX, 43 nm away