Piper PA-31P accident near Gallup, NM
On December 29, 2004, a Piper PA-31P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Gallup, NM. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 29, 2004
- Place
- Gallup, NM
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31P · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.475°N, 108.747°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050104X00007
Official records · DEN05FA045
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Statements: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC Transcripts: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 29, 2004, at 1018 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-31P (Navajo) twin-engine airplane, N573B, was destroyed when it impacted transmission lines, trees and terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering near Gallup, New Mexico. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Glendale Airport, Glendale, Arizona, at 0917, and was destined for Newton, Kansas. According to the Glendale Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) control tower, the pilot received an IFR clearance to Newton, Kansas, at 0850. At 0915:16, prior to takeoff, the pilot stated, "...I got an engine that is running pretty hot, I'm gonna pull off here." At 0915:29, the pilot informed the controller he was going to taxi the airplane to the ramp to troubleshoot the problem. At 0915:52, the pilot stated, "I'm gonna make a quick phone call and I'll let you know what I want to do." At 0916:28, the pilot stated, "...once you get a little air movement past it looks like it's gonna be okay, I just do not want to hold too long. At 0917:16, the local controller cleared the pilot for takeoff. According to the Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), the pilot reported he was on frequency, at 0928. At 1002:48, the pilot stated, "...I think I'm gonna do a precautionary shutdown of the right engine [I'd
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain minimum controllable airspeed which resulted in the loss of control, and impact with wires, a tree and terrain.
More accidents in NM
- Gates Learjet 25D, Sep 5, 1993
- Piper PA-32-300, Dec 26, 1982
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Jun 25, 1992
- Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
- Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982
Browse: New Mexico · 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.
