ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35615
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| Date: | Sunday 1 March 1998 |
| Time: | 05:52 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-31-310 Navajo C |
| Owner/operator: | Bird Air Fleet |
| Registration: | N777HM |
| MSN: | 31-7812110 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 9318 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming TSIO-540-A2B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Northern Maine Regional Airport, Aroostook County, ME -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Bangor, ME (KBGR) |
| (KPQI) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was performing a night VOR/DME approach during which instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The airplane was equipped with VOR, LORAN, and R-NAV receivers. There were two step-downs fixes on the approach. At 13 DME the minimum altitude was 1,800 feet. At 10 DME the minimum altitude was 1,040 feet. The missed approach point was at 6 DME, and the VOR/DME transmitter was located 5.5 miles beyond the airport. Radar data revealed a descent profile based upon distances from the end of the runway, rather than DME from the VOR. The airplane reached an altitude of 1,000 feet when it was 13.52 miles from the VOR, and 7.58 miles from the approach end of the runway. It subsequently impacted rising terrain at an altitude of about 900 feet, about 11.5 miles from the VOR, and 5.5 miles from the approach end of the runway. Impact damage and a post-crash fire precluded a check of the radio set up at the time of the accident. According to FAR 135 a pilot-in-command was required to have 1,200 hours total time. The investigation documented the pilot's total time as about 1,057 hours.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to follow the published instrument approach procedure and his descent below the minimum descent altitude. Contributing factors were the night conditions, low ceilings, and fog.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC98FA071
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=777HM
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 24-Jun-2015 00:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 14-Oct-2017 19:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 14-Oct-2017 19:47 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 15-Oct-2017 15:22 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Oct-2017 16:45 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Apr-2024 14:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
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