Event LAX95LA286

Factual narrative

On August 10, 1995, at 1051 mountain standard time, a Piper PA- 23-250, N14361, collided with trees and the ground following a loss of control during landing at the Mogollon airport, Overgaard, Arizona. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and included both light and variable winds and a computed density altitude of 10,000 feet. The aircraft incurred substantial damage in the impact sequence. The certificated private pilot and the one passenger on board sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the day of the accident at 1005 as a cross-country to Overgaard. In a verbal statement to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, the pilot said she was making an approach to runway 20 and the aircraft began sinking rapidly. The pilot said she applied power; however, the left engine did not respond and the aircraft rolled sharply left. The pilot reduced the power to regain control of the aircraft and it contacted the tops of trees about 1,500 horizontal feet from, and level with, the approach end of the runway. The pilot managed to climb slightly, but said she was going to hit the runway hard and added power again. The aircraft rolled to the left, veered off the runway and collided with trees. During her statement, the pilot reported to the FAA inspectors that she used full rich mixture settings during the approach. Initial examination of the spark plugs by the FAA inspectors revealed that they were heavily sooted. In her written statement, the pilot reported that the traffic pattern and initial final approach were normal. As the aircraft cleared a group of tall pine trees which surround the runway, the aircraft encountered a sudden downdraft. The pilot stated the "next thing I know the left wing hit between the runway and taxiway...(and)...we...stopped after the nose had turned 180 degrees and had us looking in the direction we had just come from." The aircraft and engines were examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector. He reported finding no discrepancies. The magnetos from both engines were installed in a test bench and performed satisfactorily. THE WINDS ON THE SURFACE WERE LIGHT AND VARIABLE, AND THE COMPUTED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 10,000 FEET. IN A VERBAL REPORT TO FAA INSPECTORS, THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SINKING RAPIDLY ON FINAL AND SHE APPLIED POWER; HOWEVER, THE LEFT ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED SHARPLY LEFT. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER TO REGAIN CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT THEN CONTACTED THE TOPS OF TREES 1,500 FEET FROM, AND LEVEL WITH, THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT MANAGED TO CLIMB SLIGHTLY, BUT THOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT WAS GOING TO HIT THE RUNWAY HARD AND ADDED POWER AGAIN. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH MORE TREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT FULL RICH MIXTURE SETTINGS WERE USED DURING THE APPROACH. THE FAA LOOKED AT THE SPARK PLUGS AND THEY WERE HEAVILY SOOTED. IN HER WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED A GROUP OF TALL PINE TREES WHICH SURROUND THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN DOWNDRAFT. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR FOUND NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ENGINES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12