RENO, NV, USA
N2164T
Piper PA-28-180
Following departure, the pilot climbed southwest and was attempting to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains from east to west when he reported encountering a downdraft. The pilot stated that he maintained best rate of climb airspeed and the aircraft continued to descend until it went below the tops of the surrounding ridges into a canyon which was too narrow to attempt a course reversal. As the ground neared, the pilot flared and the aircraft touched down in a rocky area on the mountainside and slid forward until contacting a boulder. The accident site is at the 7,500-foot level on a mountain 10 miles southwest of his departure airport. Transcripts of land line and air-to-ground communications established that the pilot received four preflight weather briefings and one in-flight weather update, and was advised each time that VFR flight was not recommended over his intended route due to an approaching cold front. Flight precautions were in effect for mountain obscurement, occasional moderate turbulence due increasing westerly winds, occasional moderate rime and mixed icing in clouds and precipitation, and forecast IFR conditions at his destination. An FAA inspector lives on the lower slopes of the mountain below the accident site. He reported that in the early morning hours the top of the mountain was obscured by clouds, with rain and lower ceilings occurring later in the morning. In addition, he stated that the hills which define the mountain pass (north of the accident site and west of the airport) through which the main east-west interstate highway traverses from Reno to Sacramento was obscured by ragged low clouds.
On October 24, 1998, about 0755 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N2164T, collided with trees and mountainous terrain at the 7,500-foot level on Mount Rose 10 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada. The weather conditions at the accident site are unknown; however, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the Reno Tahoe airport. The aircraft, jointly owned and operated by the pilot and passenger, was on a personal cross-country flight, which originated at the Reno Tahoe International Airport about 0715 and was destined for Concord, California. The aircraft was destroyed in the collision sequence. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot received four preflight weather briefings and one in-flight weather update and was advised that VFR flight was not recommended. The Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) reported that the pilot contacted them by cellular phone after the accident and reported their location for rescue. During the conversation, the pilot told the individual from NDF that he was attempting to fly through a saddle in a mountain pass when he encountered a downdraft which the aircraft could not out climb. The aircraft then mushed into the ground at a slow airspeed, collided with a boulder, and ended up inverted on the mountain. In his written statement, the pilot said that he had flown this route many times before, and that the aircraft was climbing well enough at 300 to 500 feet per minute to clear a mountain ridge directly ahead. The airplane encountered a slight descent, then recovered and resumed a normal climb. Suddenly the aircraft encountered a rapid loss of altitude. The pilot stated that he maintained best rate of climb airspeed and the aircraft continued to descend until it went below the tops of the surrounding ridges into a canyon which was too narrow to attempt a course reversal. As the ground neared, the pilot flared and the aircraft touched down in a rocky area on the mountainside and slid forward until contacting the boulder. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the Reno Flight Standards District Office said he lives on the lower slopes of Mount Rose. He reported that in the early morning hours the top of the mountain was obscured by clouds, with rain and lower ceilings occurring later in the morning. In addition, he stated that the hills which define the mountain pass (north of the accident site and west of the airport) through which the main east-west interstate highway traverses from Reno to Sacramento was obscured by ragged low clouds. Review of recorded phone and in-flight contacts between the pilot and Reno Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) revealed that the pilot contacted Reno AFSS four times by phone and once by air-to-ground radio for weather briefings. The phone contacts (all times are Pacific daylight) were at 2004 on October 23, and, at 0010, 0506 and 0614 on October 24. The in-flight contact with Reno Flight Watch began at 0723 and ended at 0729 on October 24. Transcripts of the weather briefings are appended to this file. During the first phone contact, the briefer advised the pilot that the weather conditions were in a state of change due to an approaching cold front. The frontal system was expected to arrive over the pilot's destination in the San Francisco area by early afternoon on the 24th and be in the Reno and Sierra Nevada Mountains by late afternoon. The briefer further noted that while none had been issued yet, he believed that Airmets for mountain obscurement, turbulence, and icing would be in effect by morning. He then advised the pilot that VFR flight probably would not be recommended. In the second contact, the pilot explained that he had received an outlook briefing and wanted to see how much conditions had changed. The briefer advised the pilot that the upper level trough and associated cold front was now expected to move into the San Francisco area by 0500, with projected conditions of multiple cloud layers to 28,000 feet and scattered rain showers. In the Reno area, conditions by 0800 were forecast to be occasionally 8,000 broken with light rain showers. For the pilot's projected route of flight, the briefer advised that the San Joaquin Valley on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains was projected to be 4,000 broken, 8,000 overcast with visibility's at 3 to 4 miles in rain showers, with occasional ceilings down to 3,000 feet. Again the briefer stated that while no Airmets had been issued, he fully expected them to be in effect in the morning hours for mountain obscurement, turbulence, and icing conditions. The briefer advised the pilot that conditions would be marginal for VFR flight. During the third briefing, the conditions described in the second briefing were repeated. The pilot was then advised that Airmets were now in effect for: 1) mountain obscurement in clouds, precipitation and mist; 2) occasional moderate turbulence below 15,000 feet due to increasing low and mid level winds; and 3) occasional moderate rime and/or mixed icing in clouds or precipitation above 8,000 feet. The briefer stated that VFR flight was not recommended. In the fourth call to Reno AFSS, the pilot asked for clarification of the weather conditions in the Reno area. The briefer restated the Airmets and gave the pilot the current Reno weather. The pilot then asked about alternate routings across the Sierra's by going south then cutting across the mountains. The briefer then provided the current reports for stations in the Bishop and Mammouth Lakes, California, areas, which were generally clear of clouds. The pilot then filed a VFR flight plan. During the in-flight contact, the pilot was given the Airmets for mountain obscurement, turbulence and icing, and, was advised that a new Airmet had just been issued for IFR conditions in the San Francisco Bay area. The pilot was given the current reports for several bay area airports, which included observations of heavy rain showers. The pilot then stated that he would wait for a bit before opening his flight plan.
The pilot's disregard for five weather briefings and his attempted flight into known adverse weather conditions.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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