Piper PA-23-160 accident near Rio Rico, AZ
On June 8, 2002, a Piper PA-23-160 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Rio Rico, AZ. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 8, 2002
- Place
- Rio Rico, AZ
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 31.437°N, 110.921°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020702X01027
Official records · LAX02FA191
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 8, 2002, about 1405 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-23-160, N4302P, crashed under unknown circumstances near Rio Rico, Arizona. Accelerated Flight Crew Training, Chandler, Arizona, operated the rental airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Post impact fire destroyed the airplane. The private pilot, the commercial rated pilot, and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that departed Nogales, Arizona, about 1355. The flight was destined for Stellar Airpark Airport (P19), Chandler. The wreckage was at 31 degrees 26.212 minutes north latitude and 110 degrees 55.255 minutes west longitude. The commercial pilot (examinee), his certified flight instructor (CFI), and the private pilot passenger flew from Chandler to Nogales for the examinee's CFI multiengine check ride. Nogales was 3 miles on a magnetic bearing of 090 degrees from the accident site. Witnesses stated that the weather was calm winds with a temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit. The airplane departed runway 21, which was 7,199 feet in length by 90 feet wide. WITNESS STATEMENTS Statement from the Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) According to the DPE, the accident airplane arrived at Nogales at 1050. The examinee was testing for his flight instructor airplane multiengine certificate. Once the examinee and DPE completed a walk-around inspection of the airplane, they boarded and taxied to the run-up area for runway 21. According to the DPE the examinee set the mixtures at the "number three (3) position;" how
Probable cause
a loss of engine power in the left engine for undetermined reasons, and the failure of the flying pilot to maintain an adequate single engine minimum control airspeed and aircraft control. Also causal was the decision of all three of the pilots to continue the flight with known engine discrepancies.
More accidents in AZ
- De Havilland DHC-6-300, Sep 27, 1989
- Cessna 402C, Jun 19, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Aug 17, 1983
- Piper PA-31-350, Feb 13, 1995
- Cessna 421C, Sep 2, 1995
Browse: Arizona · 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.
