Piper PA-34-200T accident near Cle Elum, WA
On October 8, 1996, a Piper PA-34-200T (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cle Elum, WA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 8, 1996
- Place
- Cle Elum, WA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 47.200°N, 120.900°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06969
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 8, 1996, approximately 0326 Pacific daylight time, Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) lost radio and radar contact with AIRPAC Airlines Flight 72 (N666HL), a Piper PA-34-200T operating on a 14 CFR 135 non-scheduled domestic cargo flight from Spokane International Airport, Spokane, Washington, to Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington. The last contact with the aircraft was reported to be approximately 61 nautical miles east of Seattle. The aircraft was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan; however, visual meteorological conditions were reported at Wenatchee and Yakima, Washington, the closest weather reporting stations. The substantially damaged aircraft wreckage was located approximately 3 miles southeast of Cle Elum, Washington by air search and rescue personnel of the Washington State Department of Aeronautics at approximately 1425. The commercial pilot, the airplane's sole occupant, was found by ground rescue personnel to have been fatally injured. AIRPAC Flight 72 was the second leg of a two-leg trip, consisting of flight from Boeing Field to Spokane and return to Boeing Field. According to trip logs recovered from the aircraft wreckage, AIRPAC flight 48, the Boeing Field-Spokane outbound leg, had a start-duty time of 2300 on the evening of October 7, departed Boeing Field on schedule at 2345 on October 7 and arrived in Spokane on schedule at 0120 on October 8. AIRPAC 72, the return flight on which the accident occurred, had a start-duty time at Spokane of 0130, and departed Spokane on schedule at 0215. It was scheduled
Probable cause
The pilot's physical impairment of judgment and performance, his decision to fly while impaired, and his subsequent failure to maintain control of the aircraft which led to the aircraft's design stress limits being exceeded and inflight separation of the horizontal stabiliator and right wing. Contributing to the accident were: pilot fatigue and self-induced pressure to fly.
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Browse: Washington · 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.
