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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

February 17, 1991 · Piper PA-28-181 · N4384L

Fredonia, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 17, 1991
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
Fredonia, AZ
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-181
Tail Number
N4384L
Operator
South Bay Aviation
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX91FA106

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 13,400 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 7,000 feet MSL in a flat spin.

NTSB Probable Cause

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.

Full Narrative

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.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:02 MST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-181
Tail NumberN4384L
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSouth Bay Aviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-A4M · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Fatal4
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 22 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind250° @ 16 kt, gusting 27 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 3000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Observation Time22:52
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data