Piper PA-32-300 N4123R

Summary

On 2 July 2004 at about 15:43 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N4123R was involved in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 2004 at 15:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Hot Springs/Memorial Field (HOT)

Coordinates

34.5267, -93.0247

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N4123R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Springfield → Hot Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW04FA172

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to fly a stabilized, published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in a collision with mountainous terrain. Factors were the clouds and the air traffic controllers' failure to provide known information that may have assisted the pilot in determining whether to continue with the approach or take alternate action.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 1,765-hour instrument rated private pilot was executing the ILS RWY 5 instrument approach when he over flew the airport, then made a left turn and collided with mountainous terrain approximately five miles northeast of the airport. A witness was in her home when she heard the sound of an airplane "flying really low." She said the engine sounded normal, and then the sound of the engine stopped very "abruptly." The pilot was vectored by air traffic control (ATC) to intercept the localizer course for the ILS RWY 5 approach. A review of ATC communications and radar data revealed at 1035:53, when the airplane was approximately 5.5 miles southwest of HOSSY intersection, an approach controller instructed the pilot to, "fly heading 020 degrees intercept the localizer and maintain 3,000 feet until established." The pilot acknowledged, and began a right turn towards the airport. Over the next two minutes, the airplane tracked a 020 degree heading but remained south of the final approach course. At 1038:10, the airplane was just southeast of HOSSY at an altitude of 3,000 feet msl. At this point, the airplane was 700 feet above the published approach altitude, which was 2,300 feet msl, and the pilot had not reported established on the final approach course. At 1039:25, the approach controller conducted a position relief briefing and discussed the airplane's approach with the relief controller. The controller stated to the relief controller, "he's probably going to miss...I turned him on too late probably gonna miss yeah he's too high he's missed it now." At 1039:25, the pilot reported established on the final approach course. The airplane was 2.5 miles past HOSSY and three miles from the runway at an altitude of 3,000 feet msl. The relief controller responded, "roger change to advisory approved report your arrival time this frequency." The pilot acknowledged. The relief controller then replied, "well just make sure you got this approach you are cleared for the i l s runway five approach and change to advisory approved report your arrival time this frequency." The pilot responded, "two three romeo cleared for the i l s runway five I'll report to you when I am down." No further transmissions were received from the pilot. Both controllers acknowledged the pilot's abnormal approach and failed to provide known information that may have assisted the pilot in determining whether to continue with the approach or take alternate action as required per FAA Order 7110.65, "Air Traffic Control" paragraph 5-9-2, Final Approach Course Interception. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.