Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary SEA93LA036

TWIN FALLS, ID, USA

Aircraft #1

N856M

PIPER PA-46

Analysis

AFTER AN ALL DAY FLIGHT FROM VERO BEACH, FLORIDA, THE PILOT DIVERTED FROM HIS DESTINATION TO HIS ALTERNATE AND ATTEMPTED A COUPLED ILS APPROACH AT TWIN FALLS, IDAHO. DURING THE APPROACH, HIS AUTOPILOT DISENGAGED AND HE MISSED THE APPROACH, AND THEN ELECTED TO HAND FLY AN APPROACH, WHEN HE COULDN'T REENGAGE THE AUTOPILOT. DURING THE SECOND APPROACH ATTEMPT, HE DESCENDED BELOW THE GLIDE PATH AND IMPACTED TERRAIN. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE WAS ONE HALF MILE VISIBILITY AND 200 FEET OBSCURED CLOUD LAYER. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER AFTER IMPACTING IN A LEVEL PLOWED FIELD. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ELT AFTER TRYING HIS RADIOS AND DISCOVERING THAT THE ELT WAS NOT TRANSMITTING.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE ILS GLIDE PATH.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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