Piper PA-24B-260 N9121P

Summary

On 25 September 1995 at about 01:13 local time, a Piper PA-24B-260 registered N9121P was involved in an accident near Westcliffe, Colorado, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 September 1995 at 01:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Westcliffe, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

38.1303, -105.4600

Aircraft

Piper PA-24B-260

Registration

N9121P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Las Vegas → Colorado Sprgs

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

FTW95FA402

5 people died.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OR CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHEN THE PILOT CONTACTED THE RENO, NEVADA, FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, HE DECLINED A STANDARD BRIEFING, BUT REQUESTED A ROUTE FORECAST BETWEEN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, AND COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. HE WAS ADVISED OF AN AIRMET FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT, OCCASIONAL MODERATE RIME ICING IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION BETWEEN 8,000 AND 17,000 FEET EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. ALSO, HE WAS ADVISED OF IFR CONDITIONS FROM PUEBLO NORTH TO DENVER. THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND DEPARTED. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE SAID THEY HEARD A LOW FLYING AIRPLANE AND THE SOUNDS OF IMPACT. IMPACT OCCURRED AT DUSK, NEAR THE TOP OF A RIDGE. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. WEATHER WAS DESCRIBED AS 100' TO 200' VISIBILITY, FREEZING TEMPERATURE, FOG, AND INTERMITTENT LIGHT SNOW. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED, HIS LOGBOOK CONTAINED NO RECORDED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME, EITHER SIMULATED OR ACTUAL, IN THE LAST 13 YEARS. FIVE PEOPLE WERE ABOARD THE AIRPLANE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH ONLY FOUR SEATS. AUTOPSY PROTOCOL DISCLOSED THE PILOT HAD 'PATCHY FIBROSIS COMPATIBLE WITH PREVIOUS CARDIAC ISCHEMIA' AND 'SIGNIFICANT ARTERIOSCLEROSIS.' TOXICOLOGICAL PROTOCOL DISCLOSED THE PRESENCE OF THIAZIDES, A DIURETIC USED IN HEART MEDICATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.