Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Grand Canyon Natl Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023
Wednesday, February 28, 1996 9:50 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the operator, the pilot obtained preflight weather information from DUAT, ASOS, and had made a call to the Grand Canyon tower. The weather was above landing minimums and forecast to stay above. The operator stated that for the last 3 months the ASOS had not been reliable. According to the pilot's report, he received ATIS information 'Juliet' approaching Grand Canyon and it was 1,200 scattered with visibility of 3/4 miles. According to the FAA, information 'Juliet' was reporting, 50 minutes before the accident: a measured ceiling 1,300 feet broken; 3,000 feet overcast; visibility 3/4 mile in fog; temperature 23 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 21 degrees Fahrenheit; wind calm; and the altimeter was 30.03 inHg. At the time of the accident, the ASOS was reporting indefinite 400 feet overcast with 1/4 mile in fog and snow. The ILS approach requires a minimum of a 200-foot ceiling and 1/2 mile visibility. The braking action was reported as poor due to snow and ice. The airplane landed to the left of the runway centerline and collapsed the landing gear as it slid sideways. A light ice buildup was observed on the leading edges of the airframe by airport personnel. According to the pilot, he had operated the deice boots just prior to landing.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft after landing. Contributing to the accident was the icy runway conditions with poor braking.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/28/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 950 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | GRAND CANYON |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 86023 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | GRAND CANYON NATL PARK |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GCN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6606 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 947 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GCN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6606 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Obscured |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Moderate |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 10 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1595 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 28 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 920 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N27989 |
| NTSB Number | LAX96FA122 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-31-350 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-31-350 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 31-7952077 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 10 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 21 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 15261 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LAS VEGAS AIRLINES |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2772 N. RANCHO DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAS VEGAS |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89106 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | LVAA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | VGT |
| Departure City | LAS VEGAS |
| Departure State | NV |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 750 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | GCN |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 3 |
| Runway Length | 8999 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |