Piper PA-32-300 N7989C

Summary

On 29 December 2002 at about 19:50 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N7989C was involved in an accident near Steamboat Spgs, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and one died, 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 December 2002 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Steamboat Spgs, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

40.3347, -106.6889

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N7989C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Steamboat Spgs → Canon City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN03FA028

1 person died.

the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision making resulting in insufficient altitude to fly over the mountain, and the subsequent inadvertent stall/mush into tree covered mountainous terrain. Contributing factors were the tail wind and high density altitude weather conditions, the airplane's aft center of gravity condition exceeding limitations, and the improper use of the airplane by the pilot [STC limitation to haul parachutist only; two passengers flying without seats].

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed with three passengers and three dogs, but only two seats. The airplane had been reconfigured (STC SA00352DE) for parachute jumping operations. The STC included the stipulation that the airplane could be used only for parachutist launching operations. Also, Title 14 CFR Part 91.107, (a)(3), states that each occupant of a civil aircraft must be provided with an approved seat [the fatally injured passenger was not] with seat belt, for movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing operations. The pilot proceeded to fly up a heavily forested mountain valley with a 14 to 18 knot tail wind (increasing ground speed while reducing climb performance). The airplane's center of gravity was calculated to be 2.33 inches aft of allowable limitations. Due to insufficient altitude, the airplane impacted tree covered terrain with approximately 4 feet of snow at 9,527 feet (10,200 feet density altitude). One occupant was trapped under aircraft debris for 4 to 5 hours; she died shortly after reaching the hospital. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.