Piper PA-28-161 N9199Z

Summary

On 16 February 2004 at about 22:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N9199Z, operated by Plus One Flyers, Inc., was involved in an accident near Jean, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 February 2004 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Jean, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

35.7683, -115.3297

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N9199Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Plus One Flyers, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

North Las Vegas → San Diego

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04FA137

2 people died.

!!THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED JANUARY 31, 2006!! the pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance with the rising terrain, while maneuvering at low altitude in a mountainous area.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

!!THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED JANUARY 31, 2006!! The airplane collided with mountainous desert terrain in a box canyon during low altitude flight maneuvering. The pilot, a military helicopter pilot, was checked out in the airplane 4 days prior to the accident. He held approximately 500 hours total flight time and 150 hours flight time in airplanes. He and his passenger arrived at their destination 2 days prior to the accident. After fueling the airplane, they departed for the return flight home. Radar plots ending about 17 miles from the accident site indicated that the airplane maintained an approximate mean sea level (msl) altitude of 3,500 feet (about 100 feet above ground level) as it flew in a southerly direction, with the surrounding terrain rising to 4,400 feet msl at a rate of increase per mile that was about twice the climb capability of the airplane. The wreckage site was located in a canyon, at an elevation of 3,780 feet msl. The top of the ridges behind the accident site rose to 4,400 feet msl. The toxicological report for the pilot was positive for ethanol, but the state of the specimens evaluated made it impossible to determine whether the ethanol was produced post-mortem or was a result of ingestion of alcohol. No mechanical or control anomalies were found with either the airframe or engine during the post-accident examinations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.