Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
North Las Vegas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
North Las Vegas, Nevada 89032
Sunday, August 31, 2003 20:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The single-engine airplane impacted terrain short of the approach end of the runway during a night visual approach. According to the pilot on final approach, while conducting the final check list, he noted that the airplane was about 300-400 feet above the ground, and on the glide slope "with PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator) lights." The airspeed was 85 knots with the landing gear extended. He also said he believes he had put in 10-degrees of flaps. The pilot stated that the airplane started to "pancake down," and he did not know why the airspeed had bled off. When he realized what was happening he applied full power and the engine surged, but the airplane was too close to the ground and the airplane landed in the desert. A witness located near the approach end of the runway observed the airplane's wings rocking back and forth on final approach, and then it dropped out of the sky. He stated that the engine was not making unusual sounds during the approach. According to the airplane manufacturer's approved flight manual, landings can be made with any flap settings. The manual also indicated that for landing, a normal approach speed between 80 - 85 knots should be flown with full flaps extended, and power as required to maintain approach angle. For a flaps up condition, the approach speed should be 95 knots. Post accident examination found the flaps in the retracted position with the cockpit selector handle in the up position.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during approach for the airplane's flight configuration, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and impact with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/31/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 2000 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | North Las Vegas |
| Event State | NEVADA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 89032 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 361700N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1151100W |
| Event Location Airport | North Las Vegas Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KVGT |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 2207 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1956 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VGT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2205 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 36 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 4422 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16967 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 31 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2230 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2004 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-LAS-FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N103TK |
| NTSB Number | LAX03LA273 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-46-350P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4636329 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4340 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 50 |
| Airframe Hours | 220 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Angels Aircraft LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2925 Coast Line CT |
| Aircraft Owner City | Las Vegas |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89117 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Charles I Robins |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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 | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | VGT |
| Departure City | North Las Vegas |
| Departure State | NV |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | VGT |
| Destination City | North Las Vegas |
| Destination State | NV |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 1 2004 3:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | RICJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 12R |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |