Piper PA-32-301T N8175Z
17 August 1992 · Kit Carson, Colorado, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 17 August 1992 at about 02:50 local time, a Piper PA-32-301T registered N8175Z, operated by McKenzie, Joseph A. & Mary E., was involved in an accident near Kit Carson, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kit Carson, Colorado, United States
- Coordinates
- 38.7605, -102.7906
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301T
- Registration
- N8175Z
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- McKenzie, Joseph A. & Mary E.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hutchison → Colorado Spring
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- DEN92FA085
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, HIS ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO A LEVEL SIX THUNDERSTORM, AND HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT TIME.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THERE IS NO RECORD THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT OBTAINED AN FAA WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILED A FLIGHT PLAN BEFORE DEPARTING HUTCHISON, KS, ENROUTE TO COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND TWO DAYS LATER SCATTERED 0.7 MILES IN AN OPEN FIELD. PIECES OF THE RIGHT WING, HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, AND CABIN ROOF WERE FOUND STREWN ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH. THE LEFT WING AND VERTICAL STABILIZER REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRPLANE BY CONTROL CABLES. THE CABIN WAS GUTTED BY FIRE. THE RIGHT WING SPAR STUB WAS BENT DOWN AND AFT. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SPAR STUB WAS BENT DOWN AND AFT, AND THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SPAR STUB WAS BENT UP AND AFT. THE PILOT WAS KNOWN TO USE HIS STRIKE FINDER TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THUNDERSTORMS. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA OF KIT CARSON AT THE ESTIMATED TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. MAXIMUM INTENSITY WAS LEVEL SIX.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-32-260 | Kissimmee, Florida, United States | Perman, William | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 1992 | Piper PA-32-260 | Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States | Alfred L. Moseley | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 1992 | Piper PA-32-301 | Sleetmute, Alaska, United States | Arctic Circle Air Service, Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Mar 1992 | Piper PA-32-300 | Austin, Nevada, United States | Galen M. Reimer | No injuries | - |
| 9 Oct 1992 | Piper PA-32-260 | Pulaski, Virginia, United States | TAR Heel Railroad Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 25 May 1992 | Piper PA-32-300 | Funter Bay, Alaska, United States | Steve R. Wilson | No injuries | - |
All 1,695 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 1992 | Cessna 310-L | Hugo, Colorado, United States | Bell, Anthony H. | No injuries | - |
| 4 May 1992 | Boeing 757-222 | Denver, Colorado, United States | United Airlines | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Jul 1992 | Piper PA-34-200T | Lamar, Colorado, United States | Lyddon Flying Service | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 1992 | Embraer EMB-120 RT | Denver, Colorado, United States | Mesa Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jan 1992 | Cessna 152 | Falcon, Colorado, United States | Patrick Clayton | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 1992 | Cessna 172P | Englewood, Colorado, United States | P.c. Flyers, Inc. | No injuries | - |