Piper PA-24-250 N6297P

Summary

On 3 August 2011 at about 23:35 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6297P was involved in an accident near Camas, Washington, 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

3 August 2011 at 23:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Camas, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Grove Field Airport (1W1)

Coordinates

45.6333, -122.3833

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6297P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pendleton → Camas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11FA367

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering in the traffic pattern.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was on a visual flight rules cross-country flight over a sparsely populated area and was maneuvering in the traffic pattern for landing. A pilot-rated witness reported that he observed the accident airplane join what appeared to be the left downwind leg of the runway, about 2,000 feet above ground level. The witness reported that shortly after joining the downwind leg, the airplane banked left and continued in a descending left turn, until it impacted up-sloping terrain northeast of the airport. The airplane wreckage was found about one mile from the destination airport. The wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with a loss of airplane control followed by a steep-angle descent before impact with terrain. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.