Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seligman, Arizona 86337
Friday, June 18, 2010 22:26 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on a visual flight rules flight on a dark night, and family members reported that he had been drinking alcohol and was under emotional distress. Toxicological testing gave no conclusive results as to the pilot's alcohol intoxication level, if any, at the time of the accident. Radar data identified as the airplane's flight track showed a progression from east to west, with the radar targets showing a gradual descent to the altitude of the mountainous terrain in the area, and then ending in the vicinity of the accident site. Very few ground reference lights existed in the area of the accident site and the moon was in its first quarter and would not have provided any significant illumination of the terrain. The radar data was consistent with the pilot's loss of situational awareness during the dark night and the airplane gradually descending into terrain. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine components revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain in the dark night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2226
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Seligman
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86337
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 353714N
Event Location Longitude 1124824W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2235 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID CMR
Elevation of weather observation facility 6680
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 28148
NTSB Notification Source Arizona Department of Public S
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2011 8:03PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N155FT
NTSB Number WPR10FA305
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hawker Beechcraft Corporation
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E-1922
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jul 6 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3871
Airframe Hours 3731
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name Gary Cavasos
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City LOS ALAMOS
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87544-3504
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Gary Cavasos
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City LOS ALAMOS
Operator State NM
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 87544-3504
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code SAF
Departure City Santa Fe
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Unknown
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2011 7:40PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --