- Date
- November 1, 2010, 00:30 local (07:30 UTC)
- Place
- Seligman, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9614VAerostar Acft Corp Of Texas M20E
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20101101050729A
- Case key
- 77724
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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight planning.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, he turned to his intended heading and climbed to a predetermined cruise altitude to maintain clearance from terrain during the night visual flight rules cross-country flight. Following an uneventful cruise phase of the flight, the pilot observed what he believed to be his destination airport and initiated a descent. The pilot stated that he was unable to turn on the airport runway lights and decided to continue the descent to the airport's traffic pattern altitude of 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl) while circling the airport. During the second circle and descent, the pilot aborted the descent and began to initiate a climb whereupon the airplane impacted terrain at an elevation of about 5,200 feet msl. The pilot reported that he was surprised when local law enforcement informed him that he was in Seligman, Arizona, instead of his intended destination of Boulder City, Nevada. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact anomalies with the airplane that would have contributed to the accident and that "all systems were working." The pilot added that prior to the flight; he estimated an approximate heading and altitude needed for the flight to his destination airport.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, he turned to his intended heading and climbed to a predetermined cruise altitude to maintain clearance from terrain during the night visual flight rules cross-country flight. Following an uneventful cruise phase of the flight, the pilot observed what he believed to be his destination airport and initiated a descent. The pilot stated that he was unable to turn on the airport runway lights and decided to continue the descent to the airport's traffic pattern altitude of 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl) while circling the airport. During the second circle and descent, the pilot aborted the descent and began to initiate a climb whereupon the airplane impacted terrain at an elevation of about 5,200 feet msl. The pilot reported that he was surprised when local law enforcement informed him that he was in Seligman, Arizona, instead of his intended destination of Boulder City, Nevada. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact anomalies with the airplane that would have contributed to the accident and that "all systems were working." The pilot added that prior to the flight; he estimated an approximate heading and altitude needed for the flight to his destination airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9614V
- Reported as
- Aerostar Acft Corp Of Texas M20E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21-0020
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Randy Donnarumma
- Registered owner
- Randy Donnarumma
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Kingman, AZ
- Destination
- Boulder City, NV
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
- 56
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 345 total · 27 in this make and model · 112 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.34 inHg
- Observed at
- KCMR, 34 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 362 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.