Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Haines, AK
On July 7, 1995, a Piper PA-32R-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Haines, AK. 6 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 7, 1995
- Place
- Haines, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 6 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 59.159°N, 135.859°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03828
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 7, 1995, at 1456 Alaska daylight time, N6281J, a Piper PA-32R-300, operated by L.A.B Flying Service, Inc., collided with terrain while maneuvering and was destroyed near Haines, Alaska. There was a postcrash fire. The commercial pilot and all five passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan had been filed. The on-demand air tour flight departed from Haines Airport at 1450 and was conducted under 14 CFR 135. According to a tour agent employed by L.A.B., a group of about 30 passengers disembarked from a cruise ship in Haines and were scheduled for flightseeing flights with L.A.B. The tour agent greeted the passengers and escorted them onto an L.A.B bus for transportation to the airport. After boarding the bus, the tour agent gave a short briefing about the tour and may have indicated that the passengers would not be getting the "Glacier Bay" tour, but the "alternate" tour, because of the adverse weather conditions that prevailed inside the glacier passes. The tour agent then escorted the passengers off the bus and onto the main gate of the Haines Airport. He then asked the passengers to break up into groups, and he designated the first five to go with the accident pilot, and the next three to another L.A.B pilot. He escorted both groups to their respective airplanes and told the passengers to inform the pilots of their weights for aircraft weight and balance considerations. The tour agent further stated that the pilots were providing a safety briefing to the passengers as he left the passenger
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE ABOVE AND CLEARANCE FROM THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO CONDUCT THE MANEUVER IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE RISING TERRAIN.
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Browse: Alaska · 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.
