- Date
- November 20, 1983, 20:25 local (Nov 21, 1983, 03:25 UTC)
- Place
- Wikieup, AZ
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4291RPiper PA-28-236
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831120059389A
- Case key
- 23910
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.
Analysis
Before taking off, the plt obtained 2 wx briefings & was advised that VFR flt was not recommended. He departed at 1730. Several requests were made for en route wx from las vegas flt watch. At 1945, the plt declared an emergency & indicated that he was lost. He reported that he was in & out of the clouds at 6500 ft MSL & he believed he was over the Colorado river. ATC had difficulty identifying the acft due to his low alt over mountainous terrain. At 2015, the plt was advised that his position was 42 mi east of needles, CA. He reported tracking 260 deg to needles, detouring around clouds. The last communication was at 2023 when he said he almost hit a mountain, had to descend & was turning back. Subsequently, the acft collided with a 45 deg slope at 6500 ft MSL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4291R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-236
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8311010
- Airframe hours
- 130
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J3A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Deer Valley Avionics
- Registered owner
- William J. & Kathleen Beck
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 19, 1983 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- TUS · Tucson, AZ
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 450 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 200° at 17 knots, gusting 22
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PRC, 56 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.