Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary DEN89FA045

Elephant Butte, NM, USA

Aircraft #1

N751SP

PIPER PA-24-250

Analysis

DURING A RETURN FLIGHT FROM HAVING MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE ACFT THE PLT EXECUTED A LOW PASS BY HIS HOME WHICH WAS LOCATED ON A POINT OF LAND OVERLOOKING ELEPHANT BUTTE RESERVOIR, NM. DURING THE MANEUVER WHILE IN A STEEP TURN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE WATER AND SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT CARTWHEELED AND SANK. WX AT THE TIME WAS VMC WITH THE WATER SURFACE SMOOTH AND GLASSY. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THIS MANEUVER WAS COMMONLY PERFORMED BY THE PLT ON RETURNING HOME.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

Get all the details on your iPhone or iPad with:

Aviation Accidents App

In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports