Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wikieup, Arizona 85360
Sunday, November 20, 1983 20:25 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PLT OBTAINED 2 WX BRIEFINGS & WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE DEPARTED AT 1730. SEVERAL REQUESTS WERE MADE FOR EN ROUTE WX FROM LAS VEGAS FLT WATCH. AT 1945, THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & INDICATED THAT HE WAS LOST. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN & OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 6500 FT MSL & HE BELIEVED HE WAS OVER THE COLORADO RIVER. ATC HAD DIFFICULTY IDENTIFYING THE ACFT DUE TO HIS LOW ALT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AT 2015, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS POSITION WAS 42 MI EAST OF NEEDLES, CA. HE REPORTED TRACKING 260 DEG TO NEEDLES, DETOURING AROUND CLOUDS. THE LAST COMMUNICATION WAS AT 2023 WHEN HE SAID HE ALMOST HIT A MOUNTAIN, HAD TO DESCEND & WAS TURNING BACK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A 45 DEG SLOPE AT 6500 FT MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2025
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City WIKIEUP
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85360
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 79
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5042
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 56
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2800
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23095
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4291R
NTSB Number LAX84FA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8311010
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 19 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 130
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM J. & KATHLEEN BECK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7541 E. NORTH LANE
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85258
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DEER VALLEY AVIONICS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 142 W. DEER VALLEY RD.
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85027
Operator Code
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 --
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 LAS
Departure City LAS VEGAS
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TUS
Destination City TUCSON
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --