Controlled Flight Into Terrain · NTSB WPR11FA145
PIPER PA-28-181 — Phoenix, AZ
| Date | February 26, 2011 |
| Location | Phoenix, AZ |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-28-181 |
| Purpose of flight | Instructional |
| Conditions | Night · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 23 |
| Pilot total time | 894 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 289 hrs |
| Fatalities | 3 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Task monitoring/vigilance-Instructor/check pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained - C
- Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Mountainous/hilly terrain-Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Task monitoring/vigilance-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Instructor/check pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Instructor/check pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Light condition-Dark-Contributed to outcome
What happened
The airplane struck a rock outcropping near the peak of a 4,600-foot mountain during a night training flight that included very-high frequency omnidirectional radio range and GPS tracking and intercepting maneuvers in visual meteorological conditions. The airplane had a flight instructor and two pilot-rated students onboard. It could not be determined who was flying the airplane at the time of the accident. According to the operator, the flight instructor had been counseled not to fly in that particular area at night because it was dark with no ambient surface light to illuminate the area. The flight school had other approved areas designated for night training flights. It is likely that the pilots were practicing a tracking or intercepting maneuver while not adequately monitoring the environment, which lacked illumination, to maintain sufficient altitude as they approached mountainous terrain. The damage to the airplane and associated ground scars were consistent with the airplane flying in a straight-and-level attitude before impacting the rock outcropping. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.