Piper PA46 500TP accident near Lubbock, TX
On February 5, 2015, a Piper PA46 500TP (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lubbock, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 5, 2015
- Place
- Lubbock, TX
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 500TP · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.543°N, 101.836°W
- NTSB ID
- 20150204X22214
Official records · CEN15FA135
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Specialist's Factual Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Attachments: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control - RNAV (GPS) Y Approach: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 4, 2015, at 1930 central standard time, a Piper PA46 500TP airplane, N301D, collided with a television (TV) tower guy wire and terrain about 7 miles south of the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB), Lubbock, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to Deadalus Air LLC, and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed en route. The airplane departed the Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM), Carlsbad, New Mexico about 1830 and was en route to LBB. A review of the LBB air traffic control transcripts and radar data revealed the pilot was executing the RNAV (GPS) Y instrument approach to runway 35L. The controller canceled the pilot's approach clearance for spacing and issued a heading change off of the approach course. The airplane started a left climbing turn and then descended; the airplane was no longer visible on the radar display and contact with the pilot was lost. Additional attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful. A witness located in a parking lot next to the TV tower stated that he heard the accident airplane overhead and it sounded like the airplane's engine was operating. He looked up and saw a large flash of light that filled his field of view. He observed the TV tower's red beacon lights disappear and then the tower collapsed on top o
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation and light ice accumulation while operating in night, instrument meteorological conditions with gusting wind.
More accidents in TX
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Browse: Texas · 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.
