Piper PA-32-260 N3999W

Summary

On 7 September 1989 at about 17:10 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N3999W was involved in an accident near Lk Havasu City, 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

7 September 1989 at 17:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Lk Havasu City, California, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Havasu City (LHU)

Coordinates

34.7800, -114.5892

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N3999W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chino → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN89FA209

2 people died.

PILOT'S ATTENTION DIVERTED OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE. THIS DIVERSION RESULTED IN THE PILOT FAILING TO MONITOR HIS ALTITUDE WHILE IN A DESCENDING TURN AND INADVERTENTLY FLYING THE AIRPLANE INTO THE WATER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD FLOWN TO LAKE HAVASU TO VISIT THE PASSENGER'S RELATIVES AND FRIENDS WHO WERE VACATIONING ON A HOUSEBOAT. WITNESSES STATED THEY OBSERVED N3999W APPROACH AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND CIRCLE A PARTICULAR POINT ON THE LAKE. THEY ALSO STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A RIGHT BANK AND GRADUALLY DESCENDED DURING THE TURNS UNTIL THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER. A REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED HE HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 195 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT ON THE PASSENGER REVEALED HE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COCAINE AND HAD AN ELEVATED LEVEL OF ANTIHISTAMINES IN BLOOD AND TISSUE SAMPLES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.