Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cranbrook Canada
Sunday, October 17, 1999 20:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On October 17, 1999, about 2025 Mountain Daylight Time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N90D, was substantially damaged while descending to the Cranbrook Airport (CYXC), Cranbrook, British Columbia. The certificated airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that originated near Lynn Lake (CYYL), Manitoba. The ferry flight was conducted under Canadian flight rules. According to a Transportation Safety Board of Canada Investigator, the airplane was being ferried from England to Spokane, Washington. At the last departure point, CYYL, the airplane was refueled and the pilot filed an IFR flight plan. During the flight, the pilot was in contact with Vancouver Area Control Center. While approaching CYXC, the pilot contacted Cranbrook Flight Service Station (FSS) and was provided the latest airport information. The pilot did not report any difficulties with the airplane or flight at that time. The pilot's last transmission with the FSS was about 10 miles from the airport. After attempting to contact the airplane, FSS contacted the Rescue Coordination Center, and notified them that the airplane was overdue. An emergency locator transmitter signal was received about 2155, but the airplane was not found until the following morning. The airplane was located on the eastern side of Lakit Mountain at the 6,500-foot level, 9 miles northeast of CYXC. The weather reported by CYXC, at 2000 was, wind from 300 degrees at 4 knots, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, and a broken cloud layer at 24,000 feet. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of Canada. Further information may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada 23 East Wilmot Street Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B1A3 Tel: (905) 771-7676

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2025
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CRANBROOK
Event State --
Event Country CANADA
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1999
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2000
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CYXC
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 24000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2003 12:56PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90D
NTSB Number NYC00WA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46-350P
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 127 COWLEY HILL BOREHAMWOOD
Operator City HERTFORDSHIRE
Operator State UK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CYYL
Departure City MANITOBA
Departure State CD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CYXC
Destination City
Destination State CD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
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 --