Compagnie Daher TB 30 EPSILON accident near Apache Junction, AZ
On June 10, 2023, a Compagnie Daher TB 30 EPSILON (airplane) was involved in an accident near Apache Junction, AZ. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 10, 2023
- Place
- Apache Junction, AZ
- Aircraft
- Compagnie Daher TB 30 EPSILON · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.419°N, 111.435°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230610192347
Official records · WPR23FA223
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 10, 2023, at 0751 mountain standard time, a Compagnie Daher TB-30 Epsilon, N759F, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Apache Junction, Arizona. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The accident airplane was flying formation in the No. 2 position with two other TB-30 airplanes, N315GC (lead) and N130KL (No. 3), which were not carrying passengers. The flight of three airplanes departed Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona at 0742 with a planned destination of Payson Airport (PAN), Payson, Arizona. According to the lead and No. 3 pilots, they intended to fly around the Superstition Mountains east of Mesa before flying to PAN. They intended to eat lunch at PAN and, following lunch, the passenger in the No. 2 airplane would return to FFZ in one of the other formation airplanes, and the No. 2 pilot and airplane would continue a cross-country flight to the east coast. Recorded ADS-B data was recovered for the lead and No. 3 airplanes. The data showed that the flight proceeded eastbound until about 0748, when the flight began maneuvering to the northeast. The flight then turned right to a southeasterly heading and descended towards the west side of the Superstition Mountains (figure 1). According to the lead and No. 3 pilots, the flights took spacing before descending toward the mountains and were in a “relaxed extended trail” formation about 500 ft above the ground as they flew around the mountains. Figure 1 –Lead airplane’s flight
Probable cause
The pilot’s controlled flight into the mountainous terrain due to diminished depth perception as a result of the shadowing effect from the sun’s position. Contributing to the accident was the decision by all three pilots to fly low altitude around the mountainous terrain.
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
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
