Accident Piper PA-22 N2728P, Saturday 6 January 1990

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Date:	Saturday 6 January 1990
Time:	13:30 LT
Type:	Piper PA-22
Owner/operator:	James Brown
Registration:	N2728P
MSN:	223034
Year of manufacture:	1955
Engine model:	Lycoming O-320
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Bettles, AK - United States of America
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Old Man, AK
Destination airport:	Caribou Bar, AK
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCTRD NEAR A RIDGE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DSCNDD TO THE GROUND & CRASHED. ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 3600 FT. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM 290 DEG AT 65 KTS.

Probable Cause: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, HIGH WIND, DOWNDRAFT, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Accident investigation: