Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fredonia, Arizona 86022
Saturday, February 16, 1991 19:02 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 22 YEAR OLD PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS DEPARTED ON A THREE DAY EXCURSION OF BRYCE AND THE GRAND CANYON. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED ABOUT 72 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME. THE RENTED AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AT NIGHT 68 POUNDS OVER GROSS AND 1 INCH AFT OF THE MOST REARWARD ALLOWABLE C.G. LIMIT. AFTER REACHING THEIR FIRST DESTINATION AND SPENDING THE DAY SIGHTSEEING, THEY DEPARTED AGAIN AT NIGHT FOR THE GRAND CANYON. THE WEATHER WAS MARGINAL WITH SNOW SHOWERS. THE PLANNED 56 MINUTE LEG WAS TRACKED ON RADAR FOR A TOTAL OF 1 HOUR AND 39 MINUTES, A MEANDERING AND UNDULATING TRACK UP TO 13400 FEET MSL WAS RECORDED. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WITH 1 HOUR AND 40 MINUTES OF FUEL IN EACH TANK. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL AND THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT 7000 FEET MSL IN A FLAT SPIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INATTENTION TO THE AIRSPEED AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER ATTEMPTING VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE HIS LIMITATIONS OF HIS AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1902
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City FREDONIA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86022
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 2
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 Partial - limited by briefer
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1552 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 175
Weather Observation Facility ID BCE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7586
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 75
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 27
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1489
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45324
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:22AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4384L
NTSB Number LAX91FA106
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-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8590021
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS NOSEK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4422 TORTUGAS
Aircraft Owner City TORRANCE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90505
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOUTH BAY AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2955 AIRPORT DR.
Operator City TORRANCE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90505
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 No
Departure Airport Code BCE
Departure City BRYCE CANYON
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1723
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GCN
Destination City GRAND CANYON
Destination State AZ
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 --