Piper PA-28-161 N5999V

Summary

On 29 May 2001 at about 21:25 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N5999V, operated by Nevada-Cal Aero Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Meeker, Colorado, 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.

Date

29 May 2001 at 21:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Meeker, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

40.7750, -107.3694

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N5999V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Nevada-Cal Aero Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Meeker → Broomfield

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN01FA111

4 people died.

the pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance as a result of his drug induced impairment. A factor was his exceeding the airplane's gross weight limits.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot joined a flying club and got a checkout in a PA-28-161, an airplane which he had never flown before. He was told not to fly the airplane cross-country but to fly locally for an additional 5 hours. Although the airplane had been upgraded from a 160 to a 180 horsepower engine, he was told not to fly it with three adult passengers aboard. The pilot scheduled the airplane for 2 days. He obtained a "standard" weather briefing for a VFR flight from Reno, NV, to Hawthorne, NV, and an "outlook" weather briefing for Denver, CO. He filed a VFR flight plan to Hawthorne, but there is no record that he flew to Hawthorne. The airplane, with the pilot and 3 adult passengers on board, was reported missing. Six days later, fishermen found airplane debris floating in Upper Marvine Lake, located about 30 miles east of Meeker, CO. The debris was identified as having come from the missing airplane. The airplane had stopped in Meeker for fuel, and was en route to the Denver area. The wreckage was recovered, and examination disclosed no discrepancies with the airframe, engine, and propeller. The airplane was estimated to have been 111 pounds overweight when it departed Meeker, elevation 6,421 feet msl. Toxicological tests revealed the pilot had amphetamine and methamphetamine in blood and urine. The levels found in the blood were high, suggestive of regular use and probable addiction. The effects of methamphetamine include increased alertness, euphoria, insomnia, and increased self-confidence. Long-term use could lead to paranoia, loss of physical coordination, and weight loss. If use were to be discontinued, within hours a regular user might experience severe withdrawal symptoms, including depression, fatigue, abdominal cramps, and headache. Overdoses may result in loss of consciousness or seizures. Regular users can tolerate high doses. The levels found in the blood indicate the pilot had recently used methamphetamine and was impaired by its effect. This could have led him to attempt maneuvers beyond his abilities. Although possible but not likely, the pilot could have had an acute event resulting in incapacitation, such as fainting or seizure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.