SEA94FA034

History of flight

On November 22, 1993, at 0111 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-46-310P, N84PM, registered to and being flown by Phillip G. Aslett, a certificated private, instrument-rated pilot, was destroyed when the aircraft collided with terrain during an uncontrolled descent ten nautical miles north of Mountain Home, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured. Variable dark night meteorological conditions prevailed in southwestern Idaho at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was to have been operated in accordance with the requirements set forth in 14CFR91.

Mr. Dick Reeder, owner of Reeder Flying Services, a fixed based operator at the Twin Falls Airport, was interviewed by telephone on the evening of November 23, 1994. Mr. Reeder reported that on the evening of November 21st, he was at home sitting outdoors, located approximately two miles northeast of the Twin Falls Airport. He stated that he heard a sound similar to an abrupt and rapid power application for a departing aircraft. He reported observing white strobe lights from a departing aircraft heading initially westbound, then turning north and circling over the airport. The lights then proceeded south away from Twin Falls. Mr. Reeder's estimate of the time of this event was 2230 hours.

The Salt Lake Air Route Traffic Control Center's (ARTCC) first radar target associated with the aircraft was at 2240:22, and showed the aircraft climbing through 16,700 feet mean sea level (msl) at a location approximately 24 nautical miles (nm) south-southeast of the Twin Falls Airport.

The aircraft's radar target was observed to climb to an altitude of approximately 25,000 feet MSL, and proceed directly toward the Ely airport VOR/DME at Ely, Nevada. At approximately 2345, the target was observed to make a course change approximately 13 nm north of Ely and proceed toward Boise, Idaho.

At 0026:01 (November 22, 1993), Salt Lake ARTCC received a radio transmission on frequency 121.5 mHz consisting of only "Hello." Nineteen seconds later, a second transmission was received consisting of "Salt Lake Center" followed 23 seconds later by a transmission consisting of "Salt Lake Center Malibu-." Two final unintelligible transmissions were received by the center at 0049:24 and 0049:28 hours. Attempts by the Salt Lake ARTCC facility to contact the aircraft were unanswered.

At 0050:05, Salt Lake ARTCC contacted Boise Approach Control via landline and requested they attempt to contact the target aircraft on 121.5 mHz as the aircraft was approaching Boise. The radar target was tracked proceeding north-northwesterly until passing overhead the Boise VORTAC at approximately 0100 hours, at which time a 130 degree right turn was accomplished, placing the target on a track direct to the Twin Falls Airport (refer to FAA produced Flight Path Charts I & II).

Coordination continued between the two facilities. At 0100:38, Boise approach requested the aircraft, whose transponder code was 1200, to "ident" and at 0100:54, Salt Lake ARTCC observed an ident from the aircraft. At 0101:56, Boise approach requested the aircraft change its squawk (tansponder code) to 0306 and ident. At 0102:37, Salt lake ARTCC advised Boise approach that the aircraft's altitude was 23,100 feet and at 0103:04, an ident on the 0306 code was received.

The altitude readout on the radar data indicated the aircraft was at 16,800 feet MSL at 0105:05 hours. At 0106:35, Boise approach inquired "-if you're IFR qualified and would like vectors inbound ident." An ident was received shortly thereafter and a right turn to 280 degrees and descent to 8,000 feet was issued by the Boise controller.

Radar data indicates that the aircraft continued to track toward Twin Falls. Repeated instructions to turn and descend were issued by Boise approach. At 0108:21, the first radio transmission to Boise was received, when the pilot radioed "two eight zero, eight thousand, Malibu eight four papa mike." The aircraft's radar altitude readout was approximately 16,400 feet MSL at this time.

The altitude readout of 16,400 feet msl continued until the 0109:21 target, where the altitude readout was dropped. Immediately thereafter the Salt Lake ARTCC reported that the aircraft target "went into coast mode" (refer to Attachment RD- I).

At 0109:54, after a query from the Boise approach controller, the pilot of 84PM responded, "Malibu eight four papa mike, I read you loud and clear, eleven thousand feet and descending."

The last radio transmission from the pilot of 84PM was received at 0110:32 and consisted of the statement "-papa mike, we're six thousand feet" (1,350 feet above the ground impact site). Refer to Attachments CT-I and CT-II.

Personnel information

Three days prior to the accident, on Friday, November 19, 1993, at approximately 1715, Phillip Aslett, (a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints), was arrested by Detective Sergeant K. C. Dudley, of the Twin Falls Police Department, on a charge of "lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor." The charges stemmed from an interview between Detective Sergeant K. C. Dudley, of the Twin Falls Police epartment, and the victim, a 17 year old male who reported that "he had been sexually molested by Phil Aslett at least 30 times over the previous three to four years."

Pilot Aslett was married and the father of four children, the eldest of whom was acquainted with the victim. He was transported to the Twin Falls jail and remained there overnight. The following day, pilot Aslett was released on $25,000 bond (refer to Twin Falls Police Department Case number 93-05588). According to pilot Aslett's sister, he spent the night (November 20th) at his parents' residence, rather than at his residence with his wife, as "he couldn't be around his kids."

On Sunday morning (November 21st), pilot Aslett met, by pre- arrangement, with Todd Coates, a personal friend. Todd Coates was interviewed by Sheriff Rick Layher, and reported that "during the conversation (Sunday morning) Phillip told him that if things got to(o) rough he would choose his family over himself" and that "even if he got off (won the case) he would lose."

On Sunday (November 21st), Mr. Aslett met with Gloria Johnson, a personal friend, at his office. Ms. Johnson reported to Sheriff Layher that "Phillip talked about the charges that had been filed against him and was very upset about it" and that they both left in the early afternoon.

Later on the same day, pilot Aslett met with Andy Lyda, another personal friend. Andy Lyda reported to Sheriff Layher that "they went driving around" and that during this time "Phillip was crying and talking about the charges" and that "Phillip was upset because he didn't want to go to jail." He also reported that "Phillip was making comments like 'I might take my airplane towards Boise and crash in the mountains'" and that pilot Aslett was consuming beer during their meeting.

Additionally, he reported that "Phillip told him he hadn't drank for a long time but he was drinking tonight because he had to go through with this" and that "Phillip told him that he wanted to live, he didn't want to die but that he didn't know of any other way."

Mr. Lyda reported that while driving around with pilot Aslett, there was a .22 caliber pistol out on the seat or on the dash and that when they parted "Phillip told him "Don't call the police or I'll kill myself sooner"."

Mr. Lyda also reported that "Phillip had a notebook with him" and that the notebook contained "individual letters to his wife and each of his children." He stated that "Phillip made it sound like it was for his family if he went to jail but it was if he committed suicide." Mr. Lyda further reported that "it wouldn't look like a suicide" and that "he wanted (it) to look like an accident" (refer to attached Elmore County Sheriff's Office report).

Mr. Jay Wilcox, the father of the victim, was