Piper PA-23-250 accident near Carson City, NV
On November 27, 1997, a Piper PA-23-250 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Carson City, NV. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 27, 1997
- Place
- Carson City, NV
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.140°N, 119.710°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X09196
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 27, 1997, at 1235 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-23-250, N6933Y, rolled inverted during the takeoff initial climb and impacted a hangar at the Carson City, Nevada, airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the commercial pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. The flight was originating at the time and was destined for Nacadoches, Texas. A private pilot witnessed the takeoff from near the midfield location adjacent to runway 27. The runway is 5,900 feet long and the airport elevation is 4,697 feet. The witness reported that the accident aircraft lifted off prior to reaching his location and passed in front of him at 30 - 50 feet agl. The nose gear had retracted and the main gear was in transit. The engines sounded normal. As the aircraft continued west over the runway, the witness sensed that something was wrong as the aircraft reached 150 - 200 feet agl, it yawed slightly, and appeared to mush. The nose pitched up and the aircraft rolled to the left, then the nose dropped and the aircraft disappeared behind a parked aircraft in a vertical dive and he heard the impact in the hangar. When the aircraft pitched up and rolled to the left, he had a view of the top of the aircraft from the rear and could see that the nose baggage door on the right side of the nose was open. As the aircraft continued to roll, the baggage door appeared to fold back over the nose in front of the windshield but it did not come off. He did not observe anything fall from the aircraft and th
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed after being distracted by the nose baggage door opening in-flight resulting in a stall/spin. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and lack of experience in the type aircraft.
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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.
