Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cottonwood, Arizona 86326
Friday, October 30, 1992 10:41 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE CONDUCTING A PERSONAL FLIGHT NEAR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN TO LOOK FOR POSSIBLE OFF AIRPORT LANDING SPOTS. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY HAD COMMENTED ABOUT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN BUSH FLYING, INCLUDING LANDING ON DIRT ROADS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ABOUT 100 TO 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN A SMALL CANYON NEAR A SWITCHBACK AREA ALONG A MOUNTAIN ROAD. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN OBSERVED TO RAPIDLY DESCEND INTO THE GROUND, CRASHING IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A PILOT WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS IN THE AREA. A GROUND WITNESS REPORTED CALM WIND CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADVERTENT STALL AND DESCENT INTO TERRAIN WHEN THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/30/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1041
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City COTTONWOOD
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86326
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1052 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5042
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 798
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 30 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1207
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48279
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2221L
NTSB Number LAX93FA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-135
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-135
Aircraft Serial Number 18-4018
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 3208
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MASSEY, RONALD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1200 N. KIMBALL
Aircraft Owner City SOUTHLAKE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76092
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MASSEY, WILLIAM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 2, BOX 85-3
Operator City SUNSET
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76270
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --