SALMON, ID, USA
N47671
PIPER PA-34-200T
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BECAME DISORIENTED DURING THE VFR NIGHT APPROACH WHILE TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL. HE THOUGHT HE WAS TOO HIGH SO HE INCREASED HIS DESCENT. HE THEN REALIZED HE WAS TOO LOW. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 1/4 MI SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 16 HRS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, DURING WHICH TIME HE HAD FLOWN ON 4 FLIGHTS FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 6-1/2 HRS. A PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TIRED. THE PILOT DID NOT MEET THE NIGHT CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS, AND THE OPERATOR WAS UNAWARE OF THE PILOT'S LACK OF CURRENCY. THE BAGGAGE WAS NOT ADEQUATELY SECURED BY THE PILOT, AND A BAG STRUCK A PASSENGER ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD DURING THE ACCIDENT.
On August 6, 1994, about 2300 Pacific daylight time, N47671, a Piper PA-34-200T, operated by Salmon Air Taxi, Salmon, Idaho, collided with terrain during approach to the Lemhi County Airport in Salmon. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot was not injured and his three passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was filed. The on-demand air taxi flight departed Salt Lake City, Utah, about 2100 hours and was conducted under 14 CFR 135. The pilot stated that after entering the landing pattern for the airport, he "... got a little disoriented when turning from base to final." He thought that he was "too high" so he increased his descent. He then realized he was "too low." The airplane then impacted a field about 1/4 mile from the approach threshold of the runway. The landing gear collapsed and the left wing was separated. The pilot stated that the airplane had no mechanical deficiencies prior to impact. The pilot stated that he had begun his duty day at 0700 hours on the day of the accident, and had flown on four flights for a total of about 6 1/2 hours during that time period. One of the three passengers stated that the pilot appeared "tired" just prior to departure of the accident flight. A review of the pilot's personal logbook and the operator's flight and duty time records revealed that the pilot did not meet the night currency requirements as specified by the FAA. The pilot had flown a total of about four hours at night during the three months prior to the accident. The president of Salmon Air Taxi stated that she was not aware of the pilot's lack of currency. Passenger statements revealed that the baggage carried aboard the airplane during the accident flight had not been secured by the pilot. One of the bags struck a passenger in the back of his head during the impact.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY JUDGE THE DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE TO THE RUNWAY DURING THE NIGHT VFR APPROACH. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: FATIGUE, LACK OF RECENT NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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