Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Searchlight, NV
On December 24, 1994, a Piper PA-28R-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Searchlight, NV. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 24, 1994
- Place
- Searchlight, NV
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.499°N, 118.289°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X02754
NTSB summary
On December 24, 1994, at 1245 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N3836T, collided with mountainous terrain 1 mile northeast of Searchlight, Nevada, following an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft was operated by the pilot and was on a personal cross-country flight. Instrument meteorological conditions, consisting of rain showers and visibilities near zero in clouds, prevailed at the accident site. The pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing in which VFR flight was not recommended, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed in the collision sequence and the certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from Boulder City, Nevada, at 1220 on the day of the accident with a destination of Brackett Field, La Verne, California. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records at the Reno, Nevada, Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) revealed that the pilot telephoned the facility at 1116 on the day of the accident and reportedly requested an abbreviated weather briefing for a flight from Boulder City to Brackett. According to transcripts of the recorded weather briefing, the pilot was advised that VFR flight was not recommended due to low ceilings, rain showers, restricted visibilities and forecast icing conditions along his projected route of flight. After the weather briefing, the pilot telephoned an associate in the Los Angeles basin and said he would be leaving shortly and would try to fly south along Highway 95 to Interstate 40, then west to the Los Angeles basin. The
Probable cause
the pilot's intentional continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions in mountainous terrain.
More accidents in NV
- Cessna 425, Jan 12, 1992
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Browse: Nevada · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
