Piper PA-32R-301T N110UM

Summary

On 9 October 2012 at about 19:44 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T registered N110UM, operated by Maverick M. Cayce, was involved in an accident near Laramie Peak, Wyoming, 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

9 October 2012 at 19:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Laramie Peak, Wyoming, United States

Coordinates

42.2639, -105.4489

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301T

Registration

N110UM

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Maverick M. Cayce

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dodge City → Casper

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13FA008

4 people died.

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient clearance from rising terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot departed on a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-county flight with a planned intermediate fuel stop. Following the intermediate fuel stop, the pilot continued the flight toward his intended destination. Recorded radar data showed the airplane in level flight at 8,500 feet mean sea level (msl) for about 12 minutes followed by a slow climb. The last recorded radar target was located about 1/4 mile from the accident site at an altitude of about 9,700 feet msl. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane collided with rising mountainous terrain just below the peak of a ridgeline. Weather conditions at the departure and destination airports were VFR; however, AIRMETs for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), mountain obscuration, and moderate icing conditions were in effect throughout the area around the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot continued visual flight into IMC, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient clearance from rising terrain. It could not be determined if the pilot obtained a weather briefing for the flight. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.