Piper PA-28-140 N140RM

Summary

On 22 October 1988 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N140RM, operated by Mueller, Henry R., was involved in an accident near Big Pine, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 October 1988 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Big Pine, California, United States

Coordinates

37.1292, -118.1593

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N140RM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mueller, Henry R.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bishop → Mesa

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA023

2 people died.

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT PLANNED A X-C FLIGHT FM RED BLUFF, CA, TO MESA, AZ, WITH AN INTERMEDIATE REFUELING STOP AT BISHOP, CA. AT BISHOP THE PLT TOPPED OFF THE FUEL TANKS & DEPARTED SOUTH DOWN THE OWENS VALLEY. A CFI OBSERVED THE ACFT'S DOWNWIND DEPARTURE & NOTED THAT THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING AT 100 FT/MIN. AFTER FLYING FOR SEVERAL MILES, THE PLT TURNED TOWARD AN AREA OF DECEPTIVELY SLOW RISING TERRAIN OF A MOUNTAIN PASS. THE PLT ENTERED THE PASS AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE ROAD'S ELEVATION INCREASED & ITS DIRECTION BEGAN SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH. THE ACFT CRASHED & BURNED UPON COLLIDING WITH THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN, 150 FEET ABOVE THE HIGHWAY. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS OVER 9000 FT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.