ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36213
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| Date: | Sunday 24 April 1994 |
| Time: | 13:35 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32-260 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N7659C |
| MSN: | 7600006 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3553 hours |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING O-540-E4B5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kellogg, ID -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Kelwona Airport, BC |
| Missoula Montana Airport, MT (MSO) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On April 24, 1994, approximately 1335 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Piper PA-32-260, N7659C, impacted the terrain after experiencing an inflight breakup about seven miles northwest of Kellogg, Idaho. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The FAR Part 91 business flight, which departed Kelwona Airport, Kelwona, British Columbia, about an hour and forty-five minutes earlier, was in instrument meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot, who had filed a VFR flight plan from Kelwona to Missoula, Montana, picked up an IFR clearance while about 75 miles northwest of Spokane, Washington. There was no report of an ELT activation, and no evidence of any inflight or post-impact fire.
WHILE EN ROUTE ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, THE PILOT CONTACTED SEATTLE ARTCC & OBTAINED AN IFR CLEARANCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE REQUESTED & WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB TO 15,000' MSL. DURING THE CLIMB, ARTCC TEMPORARILY LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE PLANE & ASKED THE PILOT TO REPORT AT 15,000', WHICH HE DID AT 1329 PDT. ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER, THE PILOT SAID HE LOST 'GYRO SUCTION' & WOULD BE USING 'PARTIAL PANEL.' ALSO, HE REPORTED THERE WAS STILL SOME IMC CONDITIONS, THAT HE WAS IN & OUT OF CLOUDS & THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED SOME LIGHT RIME ICING CONDITIONS. SOON THEREAFTER, ARTCC LOST RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE. A WITNESS HEARD THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE REVVING JUST BEFORE THE PLANE CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE WINGS & EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE WINGS HAD FAILED DOWNWARD. THE FUSELAGE SKIN FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE WAS RIPPED & TORN WITH NUMEROUS RIVETS TORN THROUGH THE SEAMS. A CHECK OF THE VACUUM PUMP REVEALED EVIDENCE OF SEIZURE AFTER LONG-TERM ENGINE OIL CONTAMINATION & WEAR.
Probable Cause: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHILE FLYING WITH PARTIAL PANEL, AND THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INOPERATIVE ATTITUDE INDICATOR, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001206X01171
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 09-Mar-2019 20:03 | Anon. | Updated [Departure airport] |
| 12-Oct-2022 03:18 | Captain Adam | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo] |
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