Piper PA-601P N57NW

Summary

On 10 February 1995 at about 01:21 local time, a Piper PA-601P registered N57NW was involved in an accident near Tremonton, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 February 1995 at 01:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Tremonton, Utah, United States

Coordinates

41.6909, -112.2692

Aircraft

Piper PA-601P

Registration

N57NW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pueblo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA95FA048

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE CLOUDS, AND THE DARK NIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT INTENDED TO LAND AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AT NIGHT. THE AIRPORT HAD NO INSTRUMENT APPROACHES. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN ABOVE AN OVERCAST LAYER OF CLOUDS. THE PILOT INFORMED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) THAT HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO FIND A 'HOLE' IN THE OVERCAST AND ATTEMPT A VISUAL APPROACH INTO THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE PILOT THEN STATED THAT HE COULD NOT FIND A HOLE; HE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE TO A LARGER CONTROLLED AIRPORT. ON HIS WAY TO THE CONTROLLED AIRPORT, HE STATED THAT HE FOUND A 'HOLE' AND ATTEMPTED A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. HE RECEIVED A CRUISE CLEARANCE FROM ATC FOR 12,000 FEET MSL, AND THEN DESCENDED AT 2,280 FEET PER MINUTE BEFORE IMPACTING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF 6,200 FEET MSL. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE. NO DISTRESS CALLS FROM THE AIRPLANE WERE RECORDED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.