Piper PA-24-250 N6401P

Summary

On 15 April 1990 at about 05:30 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6401P, operated by Sorensen, Fred, was involved in an accident near Wendover, Utah, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 April 1990 at 05:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Wendover, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Wendover (ENV)

Coordinates

40.6008, -111.9599

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6401P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sorensen, Fred

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Salt Lake City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DEN90FA092

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE LACK OF SURFACE REFERENCE WHILE TAKING OFF OVER A SPARSELY POPULATED AREA UNDER DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT STATED HE ACTIVATED THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS PRIOR TO TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, AND TAXIED FOR 'QUITE A WHILE' BECAUSE THE TAXIWAY IS NOT LIGHTED. HE BELIEVES THE LIGHTS WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE. THE RWY LIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED FOR APRX 15 MIN AFTER ACTIVATION. THE SURVIVING PAX REMEMBERED THE AIRPLANE 'TUMBLING' AFTER TAKEOFF.THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRPORT IS LOCATED SOUTHEAST OF THE CITY, ANDPILOTS FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT DESCRIBED THE AREA ALONG THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF RWY 21 AS 'A BLACK HOLE'. THE PILOTHAD LOGGED 4 HRS OF NIGHT TIME IN THE LAST 90 DAYS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.