ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 315079
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| Date: | Saturday 10 June 2023 |
| Time: | 07:51 |
| Type: |  Socata TB 30 Epsilon |
| Owner/operator: | Silver Fox Aviation LLC |
| Registration: | N759F |
| MSN: | 133 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1988 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Apache Junction, AZ -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Mesa-Falcon Field, AZ (MSC/KFFZ) |
| Payson Airport, AZ (PJB/KPAN) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On June 10, 2023, at 0751 mountain standard time, a Compagnie Daher TB-30 Epsilon, N759F, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Apache Junction, Arizona. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The accident airplane was flying formation in the no. 2 position with two other TB-30 airplanes, N315GC (lead) and N130KL (no. 3). The flight of three airplanes departed Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona at 0742 with a planned destination of Payson, Arizona. According to the lead pilot, they intended to fly around the Superstition Mountains east of Mesa, prior to flying to Payson.
Several witnesses observed the airplanes flying to the south along the west side of the mountains at a low altitude. They reported that the lead and no. 2 airplanes were close together, flying similar profiles, while the no. 3 airplane was further behind. One witness stated that the lead airplane crossed a ridgeline in over a 90° bank, and that the second airplane was less aggressive than the first, and the third airplane was higher and even less aggressive. No witnesses on the ground reported observing the accident.
The pilot of the no. 3 airplane reported that just prior to the accident, he observed the no. 2 airplane at his 11 o’clock position headed towards terrain, and that the nose of the airplane pitched up and down several times, but the trajectory of the airplane did not appear to change. He said the pilot of the no. 2 airplane did not make any radio calls or report any problems prior to the accident. He reported the accident to the pilot of the lead airplane, and they returned to FFZ.
Recorded Automatic Dependent Surveillance -Broadcast (ADS-B) data was captured for the lead and no. 3 airplanes. The data showed that the flight proceeded eastbound until about 0748, when the flight began maneuvering to the northeast, and turned right to southeasterly heading, towards the Superstition Mountains.
The accident site was not accessible by investigators due to rugged terrain. An aerial assessment of the accident site by a National Transportation Safety Board investigator the day of the accident revealed that the airplane impacted near vertical terrain about 200-400 ft below a ridgeline. The debris field extended about 200 ft downslope from the initial point of impact.
The wreckage will be examined once it is recovered from the accident site.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.azfamily.com/2023/06/10/single-engine-plane-crashes-near-superstition-mountains/
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/plane-crashes-near-superstition-mountains-pinal-county-officials-say
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N759F
https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/790825_1684334641.jpg (photo)
Location
Media:
NTSB is investigating the crash of a Compagnie Daher TB 30 aircraft near Apache Junction, Arizona.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) June 10, 2023
PCSO is responding to an aircraft down in the Superstition Mountains area.
— Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (@PinalCSO) June 10, 2023
Multiple parties reported witnessing an incident involving a plane.
Air support was able to confirm a crash site.
The FAA has been contacted.
Media may stage at Lost Dutchman State Park.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jun-2023 17:07 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 10-Jun-2023 20:10 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 11-Jun-2023 04:22 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 11-Jun-2023 06:12 | harro | Updated |
| 12-Jun-2023 16:52 | harro | Updated |
| 12-Jun-2023 17:14 | Captain Adam | Updated |
| 12-Jun-2023 17:35 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 12-Jul-2023 20:26 | Captain Adam | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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