- Date
- July 12, 1990, 08:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Springerville, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8231CPiper PA22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900712025489A
- Case key
- 26864
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
The encounter with a downdraft beyond the climb capability of the aircraft.
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 pilot said he was in cruise over a mountainous area when the flight encountered severe down drafts. The aircraft was approaching high tension power lines and he elected to fly under them. The pilot stated that he 'never could get the aircraft to climb again,' and the aircraft settled onto the ground and collided with a large rock.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8231C
- Reported as
- Piper PA22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-2317
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-TC, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Raymond D. Carson
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Departed
- E24 · Whiteriver, AZ
- Destination
- 4AC · Albuquerque, NM
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 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 662 total · 392 in this make and model · 611 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point -0 °F
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 N8231C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.