Piper PA-23-250 N2377T
22 December 1996 · Lucerne Valley, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 22 December 1996 at about 18:44 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N2377T, operated by JAY Arcemont, was involved in an accident near Lucerne Valley, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 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 18:44
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Lucerne Valley, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 34.5209, -116.8793
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250
- Registration
- N2377T
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- JAY Arcemont
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Las Vegas → Santa Ana
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX97FA070
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed after encountering turbulence, low level wind shear, and an open door.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot advised she was experiencing moderate to severe turbulence and was unable to maintain altitude. She requested the nearest airport and was given a heading and distance to Apple Valley. After she reported that her door popped open, radio and radar contact were lost. A witness reported that the aircraft was in level flight and then abruptly rolled to the right, pitched forward, and continued in a nose down attitude until it exploded into a towering, red fireball. The POH states that should the door open in flight, the pilot should slow the airspeed to reduce buffeting and then land at the nearest airport. It also states that should rough air be encountered, the pilot should slow the aircraft to maneuvering speed or slightly less, fly attitude, and avoid abrupt maneuvers. Weather forecasts were for moderate to severe turbulence, strong winds, scattered to broken clouds, and rain and icing conditions.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-23 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 1996 | Piper PA-23-250 | Torrance, California, United States | Carl J. Congdon | No injuries | - |
| 11 Mar 1996 | Piper PA-23-250 | Bridgeport, West Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 Jun 1996 | Piper PA-23-150 | Cortland, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 24 Jun 1996 | Piper PA-23-250 | Clanton, Alabama, United States | Mike Cornelius | Fatal | 5 |
| 2 Jul 1996 | Piper PA-23-150 | Knoxville, Tennessee, United States | Knoxville Flight Training CTR | No injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 1996 | Piper PA-23-250 | Sulphur Springs, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
All 1,716 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar 1996 | Maule M-6-235 | Bishop, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Oct 1996 | Cessna 210A | Truckee, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Mar 1996 | Cessna 152 | Santa Paula, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1996 | Piper PA-28-140 | Plymouth, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Mar 1996 | Cessna T210M | Grass Valley, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Mar 1996 | Cessna 172L | Napa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |