Socata TB-21 accident near New River, AZ
On May 17, 2002, a Socata TB-21 (airplane) was involved in an accident near New River, AZ. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 17, 2002
- Place
- New River, AZ
- Aircraft
- Socata TB-21 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.961°N, 112.013°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020531X00794
Official records · LAX02FA166
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 16, 2002, about 2154 mountain standard time, a Socata TB-21, N328CG, descended into mountainous terrain in the Tonto National Forest, about 7 nautical miles (nm) northeast of New River, Arizona. The airplane's registered owner was Avex, Inc., and the airplane was operated by The New Avex, Inc., Camarillo, California. The pilot was employed as an airplane salesman for The New Avex, Inc. The airplane was destroyed, and the pilot and a prospective buyer were fatally injured during the sales demonstration flight. The pilot-salesman held a commercial pilot certificate and the prospective purchaser held a student pilot certificate. The dark nighttime flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. An associate of the accident pilot, who was also employed by Avex as an airplane salesman, reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that he had spoken with the accident pilot via cell phone at 2114. At that time, the accident pilot indicated to him that he had finished dinner at the Sedona Airport and that he planned to immediately depart and fly to Deer Valley with the prospective airplane purchaser. The associate further reported that he believes the earliest that the accident pilot would have become airborne is 2122. Based upon Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recorded radar data, the Safety Board investigator estimated that the accident airplane departed Sedona at or before 2132. The wife of the prospective airplane purchaser reported that abo
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate terrain clearance altitude during a cruise descent that resulted in controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Factors in the accident were the rising mountainous terrain, the dark nighttime lighting condition, and the pilot's loss of situational awareness regarding terrain proximity.
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Browse: Arizona · Socata 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.
