- Date
- July 26, 1986, 17:45 local (Jul 27, 1986, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Yosemite Nation, CA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3643WPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 3, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860726087229A
- Case key
- 24930
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
After flying low over Yosemite national park the Piper PA-32-260, operating as an on-demand passenger flight, climbed eastward into rising terrain. The flight path selected by the pilot was approximately one mile north and 1000 feet higher than tioga pass (elevation 9941) feet). The density altitude calcualted for the accident was 12,500 and the aircraft's published service ceiling is 12,800 feet at maximum gross weight. The empennage struck a boulder as the aircraft climbed up a five degree upsloping ridge then nosed into the ground. A post crash fire destroyed the cabin and engine nacelles.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3643W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-546
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Paradise Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Budd Williams Land Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- Q03 · San Andreas, CA
- Destination
- LO6 · Death Valley, CA
- Airport
- Q24 · Lee Vining
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
- 53
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 150 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SCK, 95 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.
Other investigations on N3643W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.