Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Essex, CA
On March 9, 2001, a Piper PA-32R-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Essex, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 9, 2001
- Place
- Essex, CA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.960°N, 115.310°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010316X00594
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 9, 2001, at 0950 Pacific standard time (PST), a Piper PA-32R-300, N1965H, was destroyed when the airplane impacted a mountain 15 miles south-southeast of Essex, California. The airline transport certificated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed from Eagle Airpark at Bullhead City, Arizona, at 1030 mountain standard time (MST), and the destination was unknown. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The operator of the Eagle Airpark said that the pilot of the accident aircraft had a contract with the Bank of America to deliver bank mail (primarily cancelled checks). The route was from Burbank to Imperial and then to Needles (California). The pilot normally left Burbank in the morning, flew to Imperial and then on to Needles, landing at Eagle Airpark because it was closer to the city center than the municipal airport. The airplane normally stayed in Needles (Eagle) during the day until about 1930 MST when the flight returned to Burbank via Imperial with the evening mail. The trip was repeated daily, Monday through Friday. The airport operator said the accident flight was not part of the bank flight itinerary. The pilot departed about midday with the passenger. The pilot had told the operator that he was considering getting into the agricultural application business and had identified two possible existing businesses for acquisition. The operator speculated that the pilot intended to fly to one or both of them. The airplan
Probable cause
Rupture of the fuel injection flow divider diaphragm due to improper manufacture of the raw material stock from which the diaphragm was fabricated. The diaphragm tear resulted in complete engine power loss, which required the pilot to descend into an undercast. The undercast obscured the mountain, which the airplane impacted. A factor in the accident was the manufacturer's inadequate quality contr
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Browse: California · 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.
