Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 340A near Paulden, AZ — 2013-10-04

Final reportWPR14LA005
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Date
2013-10-04
Location
Paulden, AZ, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 340A
Registration
N312GC
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
4
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear a radio tower while maneuvering at low altitude and his decision to make a high-speed, low pass over the gun club.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses located at a gun club reported observing the airplane make a high-speed, low pass from north to south over the club's buildings and then maneuver around for another low pass from east to west. During the second low pass, the airplane collided with a radio tower that was about 50 ft tall, and the right wing sheared off about 10 ft of the tower's top. The tower's base was triangular shaped, and each of its sides was about 2 ft long. One witness reported that the airplane remained in a straight-and-level attitude until impact with the tower. The airplane then rolled right to an almost inverted position and subsequently impacted trees and terrain about 700 ft southwest of the initial impact point. One witness reported that, about 3 to 4 years before the accident, the pilot, who was a client of the gun club, had "buzzed" over the club and had been told to never do so again. A postaccident examination of the engines and the airframe revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided low passes over the gun club to prevent collision.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 18 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents18

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