Piper PA-28R-200 accident near La Sal, UT
On January 24, 2003, a Piper PA-28R-200 (airplane) was involved in an accident near La Sal, UT. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 24, 2003
- Place
- La Sal, UT
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.289°N, 109.207°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030205X00165
Official records · DEN03FA038
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Transcript of Radio Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 23, 2003, at 2037 mountain standard time, a PA-28R-200, N106AW, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during a night forced landing attempt near La Sal, Utah. A postimpact fire ensued. The non-instrument rated private pilot and her three passengers were fatally injured. Air West Flight Center Inc., Longmont, Colorado, was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal, night, cross-country flight that originated from Longmont, Colorado, at 1657. The pilot had filed and opened a VFR flight plan with a destination of Las Vegas, Nevada (VGT). The operator of the airplane said the pilot had originally requested the airplane be available for departure at 1100. The pilot had flown a Cessna 172 from Jeffco Airport, Broomfield, Colorado, on January 21, 2003, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was delayed getting back to Jeffco Airport on January 23, 2003, due to early morning inclement weather in Albuquerque. The pilot landed the Cessna 172, at Jeffco Airport, at approximately 1430. At 1624, the pilot called Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), to file a flight plan and get a weather briefing. She originally filed for Longmont, direct Grand Junction, and direct Las Vegas. The AFSS specialist reported that the weather over Corona Pass (elevation 12,000 feet plus) was: wind 270 degrees at 27 gusting to 33 knots; visibility 3 statue miles; broken clouds at 700 feet; temperature 27 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 18 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot changed her flight plan to Pueblo, Durango
Probable cause
the loss of engine power (total) due to fuel starvation, the pilot not following procedures/directives (fuel management procedures), and the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation for the flight. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequately equipping the airplane (lack of supplemental oxygen), the pilot's hypoxic physical impairment, and the pilot's total lack of experience in typ
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Browse: Utah · 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.
