Piper PA-32R-301T N22KC

Summary

On 19 July 1999 at about 20:21 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T registered N22KC was involved in an accident near Magdalena, New Mexico, 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

19 July 1999 at 20:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Magdalena, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

34.1124, -107.2398

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301T

Registration

N22KC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lubbock → Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN99FA123

2 people died.

The pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather and the subsequent in-flight breakup. Factors were the pilot's lack of experience in high altitude flying and the thunderstorm.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was flying parallel to a line of thunderstorms at 18,000 feet. Radar data and weather data indicated that the pilot turned to pass through the wall of cells where satellite infrared data indicated a hole. The pilot was flying a new turbocharged airplane which was equipped with oxygen, and a storm scope. No documentation was located to indicate that the pilot was ever trained in high altitude flying, in operating a turbocharged airplane, and in the use of the on board WX detection system. Meteorological studies indicated that the storm cells near the accident site were developing very quickly, and were extremely turbulent. The left wing, vertical stabilizer, and all the pieces of the stabilizer were found approximately 4,000 feet west of the fuselage and right wing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.