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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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February 16, 1983 · Piper PA-23F-250 · N63808

Moab, UT

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 16, 1983
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Location
Moab, UT
Aircraft
Piper PA-23F-250
Tail Number
N63808
Operator
Rocky Mountain Piper Aircraft
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
DEN83FA062

THE ACFT CRASHED INTO THE TOP OF A MESA AT THE 5500 FT LEVEL (MSL). THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED ABOUT 300 FT ON A HEADING OF 360 DEGREES. SHERIFFS DEPUTIES DISCOVERED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THAT THE ACFT WAS LOADED WITH MARIJUANA WEIGHING ABOUT798 LBS. AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA ESTIMATED AT 200 LBS WAS SCATTERED ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH. TWO BODIES WERE RECOVERED AT THE SCENE. NEITHER WAS THE PLT WHO HAD RENTED THE ACFT. THREE DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PLT WHO HAD ORIGINALLY RENTED THE ACFT REPORTED THE ACFT STOLEN. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THERE WAS A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RENTER AND THE DECREASED ACFT OCCUPANTS. THE PILOTS BODY TESTED POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL & DRUGS, WITH AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.066%. PERCENT. THE ACFT WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD THE ROTATING BEACON AT CANYONLANDS ARPT, ELEVATION 4574 FT MSL. THE DENSITYALT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 5359 FT AT THE CRASH SITE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DEPARTURE POINT AND THE DESTINATION OFTHE ACFT WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE RETURNED THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT BY THE ORIGINAL RENTER.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT CRASHED INTO THE TOP OF A MESA AT THE 5500 FT LEVEL (MSL). THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED ABOUT 300 FT ON A HEADING OF 360 DEGREES. SHERIFFS DEPUTIES DISCOVERED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THAT THE ACFT WAS LOADED WITH MARIJUANA WEIGHING ABOUT798 LBS. AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA ESTIMATED AT 200 LBS WAS SCATTERED ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH. TWO BODIES WERE RECOVERED AT THE SCENE. NEITHER WAS THE PLT WHO HAD RENTED THE ACFT. THREE DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PLT WHO HAD ORIGINALLY RENTED THE ACFT REPORTED THE ACFT STOLEN. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THERE WAS A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RENTER AND THE DECREASED ACFT OCCUPANTS. THE PILOTS BODY TESTED POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL & DRUGS, WITH AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.066%. PERCENT. THE ACFT WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD THE ROTATING BEACON AT CANYONLANDS ARPT, ELEVATION 4574 FT MSL. THE DENSITYALT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 5359 FT AT THE CRASH SITE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DEPARTURE POINT AND THE DESTINATION OFTHE ACFT WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE RETURNED THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT BY THE ORIGINAL RENTER.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time22:00 MST
Nearest Airport5nm S
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-23F-250
Tail NumberN63808
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRocky Mountain Piper Aircraft
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIO-540-C1A · Reciprocating · 250
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 38 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind70° @ 3 kt
Visibility30 sm
CeilingOvercast 10000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point41 C / 30 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time04:46
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data