- Date
- December 24, 1988, 23:20 local (Dec 25, 1988, 06:20 UTC)
- Place
- Yucca, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9276MPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881224057089A
- Case key
- 26197
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Contributing factors included the pilot's improper in-flight decision which was related to his overconfidence in his personal ability, spatial disorientation upon encountering inclement weather during the nighttime flight, and his total lack of flight experience.
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
The non-instrument rated recently certificated private pilot departed bullhead on christmas eve for a nighttime flight to phoenix so his passenger could connect with an 0800 airline flight home. The pilot took off and navigated to the se for 23 NM. Away from all city lights and over desert terrain he became spatially disoriented and lost control of the acft. The acft descended at a high rate of speed & collided with terrain while in at least a 60 degree bank. There were no witnesses to the crash. Persons located 6 mi e of the crash site reported it was foggy, the visibility was 2 mi and there was light rain at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9276M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8616037
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Deer Valley Aviation, Inc., doing business as Scottsdale Aero Mech
- Registered owner
- Bernard J. Maly
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 18, 1988
- Departed
- P06 · Bullhead, AZ
- Destination
- SDL · Scottsdale, AZ
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 108 total · 49 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Night/dark
- Wind
- 135° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 28 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.