FLAGSTAFF, AZ, USA
N3558
PIPER PA-31-350
THE ACFT WAS ON A NIGHT FLT FM PHOENIX TO FLAGSTAFF, AZ, TO DELIVER CARGO IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN AIR TAXI DELIVERY SCHEDULE. BFR REACHING FLAGSTAFF, THE PLT CANCELED HIS IFR CLNC & PROCEEDED VFR. HE ENCTRD LOWERING CIGS & RW. DRG THE APCH, HE EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR & PARTIALLY EXTENDED THE WING FLAPS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED IN AN UNPOPULATED AREA ABT 2.5 MI SSE OF THE ARPT AT AN ELEV OF ABT 6800 FT; ARPT ELEV WAS 7011 FT. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE ACFT WAS IN A RIGHT 20 DEG BANK (TOWARD RWY 3). WX DATA AT THE COMPANY DISPATCH WAS NOT CURRENT & DID NOT DEPICT THE ADVERSE LOCAL CONDS NEAR THE DESTN ARPT.
VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE OF COMPANY/OPERATOR/MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE CURRENT WEATHER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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