ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 34795
Last updated: 18 March 2020
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Date:    20-NOV-1983
Time:    20:25
Type:    Silhouette image of generic P28B model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Piper PA-28-236
Owner/operator:    Deer Valley Avionics
Registration:    N4291R
C/n / msn:    28-8311010
Fatalities:    Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:    0
Aircraft damage:    Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Category:    Accident
Location:    Wikieup, AZ -    United States of America
Phase:    En route
Nature:    Private
Departure airport:    Las Vegas, NV (LAS)
Destination airport:    Tucson, AZ (TUS)
Investigating agency:     NTSB
Narrative:
BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PLT OBTAINED 2 WX BRIEFINGS & WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE DEPARTED AT 1730. SEVERAL REQUESTS WERE MADE FOR EN ROUTE WX FROM LAS VEGAS FLT WATCH. AT 1945, THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & INDICATED THAT HE WAS LOST. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN & OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 6500 FT MSL & HE BELIEVED HE WAS OVER THE COLORADO RIVER. ATC HAD DIFFICULTY IDENTIFYING THE ACFT DUE TO HIS LOW ALT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AT 2015, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS POSITION WAS 42 MI EAST OF NEEDLES, CA. HE REPORTED TRACKING 260 DEG TO NEEDLES, DETOURING AROUND CLOUDS. THE LAST COMMUNICATION WAS AT 2023 WHEN HE SAID HE ALMOST HIT A MOUNTAIN, HAD TO DESCEND & WAS TURNING BACK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A 45 DEG SLOPE AT 6500 FT MSL. CAUSE:

Occurrence #1: IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER
Phase of Operation: CRUISE - NORMAL
Findings
1. (F) FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER - INITIATED - PILOT IN COMMAND
2. (F) OVERCONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY - PILOT IN COMMAND
3. (F) TERRAIN CONDITION - HIGH TERRAIN
4. (F) LIGHT CONDITION - DARK NIGHT
5. (F) WEATHER CONDITION - CLOUDS
6. (F) WEATHER CONDITION - LOW CEILING
7. (C) VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC - CONTINUED - PILOT IN COMMAND
8. (F) LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME - PILOT IN COMMAND
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Occurrence #2: IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER
Phase of Operation: CRUISE
Findings
9. (F) BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED - INADVERTENT - PILOT IN COMMAND
10. FLIGHT ADVISORIES - ISSUED - ATC PERSONNEL(ARTCC)
11. (F) TERRAIN CONDITION - MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY
12. (C) PROPER ALTITUDE - NOT MAINTAINED - PILOT IN COMMAND
13. (F) TERRAIN CONDITION - RISING

Rescuers recover bodies of 4 killed in crash of light plane near Wikieup and officials will try to make positive identification today, he said. The bodies of four people killed Sunday in the crash of a light plane in a mountainous area of southern Mohave County were recovered Tuesday by sheriffs deputies. Sheriffs officials believe the victims were Phoenix and Tucson couples. However, their identification has not been confirmed. "We've supposedly got another plane down in the same time frame," sheriffs Detective Don Geary said. "I don't know where it's at. We can't even tell the wing numbers yet. Until we do, I'm not releasing any identification." The bodies found in the wreckage in the south Hualapai Mountains about 12 miles west of Wikieup "were burned beyond identifying characteristics," Geary said. The remains were brought to Kingman at 6:30 p.m., The plane, a single-engine Cherokee PA-28 leased from Valley Aviation in Las Vegas, Nev., left Las Vegas at 2:46 p.m. Sunday. It last was heard from at 8:40 p.m., sheriffs officials said. Sheriffs spokesman Evan Williams said a Department of Public Safety helicopter team who flew over the wreckage Monday afternoon reported no survivors but was unable to land in the rugged terrain. Deputies could not reach the wreckage until Tuesday on horseback. Civil Air Patrol search planes, hampered by low clouds and occasional snow flurries, spotted the wreckage in the south Hualapai Mountains shortly after noon Monday. "The pilot radioed that he was having difficulties because of the weather, and he was advised to turn around and head to Needles," Williams said.
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