Piper PA32 - 300 accident near Tinian Island, USA
On October 6, 2013, a Piper PA32 - 300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Tinian Island, USA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 6, 2013
- Place
- Tinian Island, USA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 - 300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 4 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 15.062°N, 145.624°E
- NTSB ID
- 20131005X30119
Official records · WPR14LA007
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On October 6, 2013, about 0251 local time, a Piper PA-32-300, N4089W, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering about 3 miles north of the Tinian International Airport on Tinian Island, United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The airline transport pilot and two passengers were fatally injured; four passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was being operated by Star Marianas Air, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. A company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the planned 10-nautical mile, night, cross-country flight from Tinian Airport to Saipan International Airport on Saipan Island. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at Tinian Airport for the flight's departure about 0241. The operator reported that the airplane was 1 of 6 airplanes being used to transport a group of 127 Chinese tourists and travel guides from Tinian to Saipan to connect with a flight from Saipan to Shanghai, China. The weather conditions at both Tinian and Saipan Airports were reported to be VFR but other company pilots flying at the same time as the accident pilot indicated that there were rain showers occasionally passing between the two islands throughout the early morning hours. One company pilot reported that he departed Tinian immediately after the accident airplane. After takeoff on runway 08, the accident pilot turned left to a crosswind leg. The company pilot said that he then took off on runway 08 and turned left to a crosswind leg; he recalled seeing the accident airplane to his left, and it ap
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering at low altitude in dark night conditions.
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Browse: United States · 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.
