Piper PA-32R-300 N711PE

Summary

On 8 March 1991 at about 07:30 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N711PE, operated by Wings Express, Inc, was involved in an accident near Palm Springs, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 March 1991 at 07:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Palm Springs, California, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N711PE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Wings Express, Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Burbank

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX91FA124

1 person died.

INCAPACITATION OF THE PILOT DUE TO INADEQUATE SLEEP.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED FOR WORK AT 0200 HOURS AND FLEW ON A LEG OF A CARGO FLIGHT FROM BURBANK, CA TO PHOENIX, AZ. HE WENT TO A COMPANY APARTMENT FOR CREW REST ARRIVING THERE AT ABOUT 0600-0630. HE GOT ABOUT 5 HOURS SLEEP, WAKING AT ABOUT 1200 HOURS. HE FLEW THE RETURN LEG OF THE OPERATION, TAKING OFF AT 2055 HOURS. AT 2230 HOURS, AFTER MAINTAINING A CONSTANT AIRSPEED, HEADING, AND ALTITUDE, HE COLLIDED WITH A MOUNTAIN. THE MOUNTAIN WAS ABOUT 10 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF HIS USUAL COURSE. NO EVIDENCE COULD BE FOUND TO INDICATE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE MOUNTAIN. THE AIRCRAFT AND ALL COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED, WITH NO DEFICIENCIES BEING NOTED. ANOTHER PILOT AT THE COMPANY APARTMENT REPORTED THAT A BOX OF 'DIMETAPP' DECONGESTION PILLS WERE ON THE PILOT'S SHAVING KIT AND THAT TWO PILLS WERE MISSING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.