Date & Time:
Oct 28, 1998 at 0858 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
Operator:
Sundance Air
Registration:
N35533
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Colorado Springs - Hayden
MSN:
31-8052047
YOM:
1980
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
375
Aircraft flight hours:
12411
Circumstances:
The Part 135 cargo flight was approaching its destination on an IFR flight plan. The pilot had requested the ILS-DME approach to runway 10, but 2 minutes later, he changed his request to the VOR-B approach to runway 28. ARTCC cleared him for the approach to the non-towered airport. The pilot contacted the airport's Unicom, and requested that the ramp personnel be standing by with fuel and oxygen. The airplane was found 5.8 nm from the approach end of runway 28, at 7,900 feet. The approach minimums for the VOR-B was 7,900 feet, which the pilot could descend to at 8.7 nm. The VOR was located 285 degrees at 13.6 nm from the accident site, and the ILS-DME transmitter was located 285 degrees at 5.6 nm from the accident site. The airplane was equipped with a single DME display head, and it had a Nav 1/Nav 2 selector switch.
Probable cause:
The pilot not following instrument procedures and subsequently descended to minimums prematurely. Factors were the mountainous terrain and the falling snow.
Final Report:
N35533.pdf99.42 KB
