Rockwell Plane Crash near Superstition Peak 5,024

[BEEBEE]

Pinal County Sheriff's Office spokesman Elias Johnson confirmed a plane went down in the mountain range and caused a small fire.

Johnson said the size of the plane and number of people involved is...
Read more: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_so ... z1eaKUmIg1

- Doesn't look like anyone survived the crash
- Small twin-engine plane Rockwell Aero Commander 690 turboprop
- departed from Mesa's Falcon Field when it crashed
- Authorities started getting calls reporting an explosion at about 6:30 p.m.
- unclear how many passengers were aboard the plane or who owned the aircraft
- 24-inch tires found at the crash site
- witnesses told tv stations they heard a plane trying to rev its engines to climb higher before apparently hitting the mountains
- elevation is about 5,000 feet at the Superstition Mountains' highest point

Map: Map approximate location of Rockwell AC69 plane crash Superstition Mountains - Lost Dutchman State Park - Siphon Draw - Flatiron

[BEEBEE]

None posted yet

http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices

[AZLumberjack]

I just returned from driving around to find a vantage point to view the top of the mountain. The best views are from the North side around the entrance to Goldfield Ghost Town. Using a spotting scope on a tripod, I was able to view the debris field and the burnt area, but the sun was directly in the background making details difficult.

The best views are from the news choppers flying above the crash site and transmitting them to your TV sets. There is a lot of activity up there, with 4 choppers almost constantly airborne. It's a sad way to start a holiday weekend.

[kbunny]

Wow... this is so freaky... I was on my way to First Water yesterday afternoon when "something" told me that I should stick to the other side of the mountains. So I took the Lost Goldmine trail instead, and was pulling out of the parking lot about 15 minutes before the crash happened. Guess I didn't see it cause I was headed in the wrong direction on 60. Wonder if there were still hikers up there. Chilling...

[outdoor_lover]

@hvydrt I know they said on the news last night that Flat Iron will be closed and the "area" will be off limits. Not sure how big the "area" will be, but imagine that part of Siphon Draw will not be accessible. You might be ok since you are on the other side of the peaks. I was going to do Black Mesa Loop tomorrow, I have decided to cancel. Apache Trail (88) is going to be a zoo. I expected the area to be crowded because of the holiday, but now you have people that are going to be drawn to the area because of this, plus all of the investigators, law enforcement and rescue personnel, not to mention the media. I plotted a map with your trip and mine on there to where they "lie" in the area and I'm saying no thanks to my hike. http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=1232

I think I'm gonna head the opposite way, maybe the White Tanks or up near Wickenburg tomorrow....

[BEEBEE]

I would to there are going to be a lot of lookie lou's

[azdesertfather]

BBC is reporting 3 adults, 3 kids in plane. One kid already found, others assumed dead. Were coming from Safford to pick up the kids and return for Thanksgiving.

My condolences to the families involved...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/15876100

[outdoor_lover]

I would to there are going to be a lot of lookie lou's

Ya, I know what I'm going to be doing to today besides cooking and stuffing my face. ;) Praying for the families of the victims....
And looking for a new hike for tomorrow. Anyone going out that wants some company? Anywhere but the Supes.....PM me.

[snakemarks]

I'm surprised they even found one body. Full fuel @ 200 mph into a vertical rock face =
I feel so terrible for that poor mother.

[azdesertfather]

Arizona plane crash: 6 confirmed dead
The six passengers on board a small plane that crashed in the Superstition Mountains Wednesday evening have been confirmed...
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z1ehKt935Q

[BEEBEE]

It is a sad event. I can see the ground scar from my house

[JoshuaLoeffler]

Are you still able to take the Siphon Draw trail to the top?

[Trishness]

Are you still able to take the Siphon Draw trail to the top?

The trails are reopened per the Pinal County Sheriff's office. I know they were closed through Saturday and wasn't sure if they extended that closure.

We were out on the road to FW TH yesterday hiking the Hackberry Spring Trail and there were so many cars and "lookie lous" out on the road and also parked at the Crosscut TH. I can't recall when I've seen 15 cars at that Crosscut TH and lots of peeps parked along the road watching the helicopters.

Trish

[Nighthiker]

Siphon Draw Trail opened yesterday, I have been camping (popup camper) at Lost Dutchman State Park since last monday. The park staff did a great job during this incident. I like that you can reserve a camp site, some sites have electric and water and campsites now can have campfires. There is a second shower/restroom building and a restroom building for the day use area. The group campsite has a ramada, water and a electric outlet.

[Al_HikesAZ]

If you are a praying person, please say a prayer to comfort Karen Perry on the loss of her 3 children Morgan, Logan and Perry. This mother had her share of challenges and is now facing this one. Dear G-d please comfort her in this time of grief.

[azbackpackr]

If you are a praying person, please say a prayer to comfort Karen Perry on the loss of her 3 children Morgan, Logan and Perry. This mother had her share of challenges and is now facing this one. Dear G-d please comfort her in this time of grief.

It is every mother's worst nightmare. There is nothing worse. You would wish it were you who had died, not your children. I also have three children--thankfully all reached adulthood--so I understand.

[Dave1]

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief ... 5300&key=1

NTSB Identification: WPR12FA046
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, November 23, 2011 in Apache Junction, AZ
Aircraft: ROCKWELL 690, registration: N690SM
Injuries: 6 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On November 23, 2011, about 1831 mountain standard time (MST), a Rockwell International 690A, N690SM, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain in the Superstition Mountains near Apache Junction, Arizona, about 5 minutes after takeoff from Falcon Field (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona. The certificated commercial pilot and the five passengers, who included two adults and three children, were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Ponderosa Aviation, which held a Part 135 operating certificate, and which was based at Safford Regional Airport (SAD), Safford, Arizona. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

According to several witnesses, the children's father, who was a co-owner of Ponderosa Aviation and who lived near SAD, regularly used the operator's airplanes to transport the children, who lived near FFZ, between FFZ and SAD or vice versa. According to a fixed base operation (FBO) line serviceman who was familiar with the children and their father, on the night of the accident, the children arrived at FFZ about 15 minutes before the airplane arrived. The airplane was marshaled into a parking spot adjacent to the FBO building; it was already dark. The father was seated in the front left seat and operating the airplane, and another individual was in the front right seat. After shutdown, the father and a third individual, whom the line serviceman had not seen before, exited the airplane. The individual in the front right seat did not exit the airplane; he remained in the cockpit with a flashlight, accomplishing unknown tasks, and subsequently repositioned himself to the front left seat.

The father went into the FBO to escort the children to the airplane. The father, three children and the third individual returned to the airplane. The individual in the front left seat remained in that seat, the third individual seated himself in the front right seat, and the father and three children situated themselves in the rear of the airplane. Engine start and taxi-out appeared normal to the line serviceman, who marshaled the airplane out of its parking spot.

Review of the recorded communications between the airplane and the FFZ air traffic control tower (ATCT) revealed that when the pilot requested taxi clearance, he advised the ground controller that he was planning an "eastbound departure." The flight was cleared for takeoff on runway 4R, and was instructed to maintain runway heading until advised, due to an inbound aircraft. About 90 seconds later, the ATCT local controller issued a "right turn approved" clearance to the flight. Review of the preliminary ground-based radar tracking data revealed that the takeoff roll began about 1826 MST, and the airplane began its right turn towards SAD when it was about 2 miles east of FFZ, and climbing through an altitude of about 2,600 feet above mean sea level (msl). About 1828, the airplane reached an altitude of 4,500 feet msl, where it remained, and tracked in an essentially straight line, until it impacted the terrain. The last radar return was received at 1830:56, and was approximately coincident with the impact location. The airplane's transponder was transmitting on a code of 1200 for the entire flight.

The impact site was located on steep rocky terrain, at an elevation of about 4,650 feet, approximately 150 feet below the top of the local peak. Ground scars were consistent with impact in a wings-level attitude. Terrain conditions, and impact- and fire-damage precluded a thorough on-site wreckage examination. All six propeller blades, both engines, and most major flight control surfaces were identified in the wreckage. Propeller and engine damage signatures were consistent with the engines developing power at the time of impact. The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility, where it will be examined in detail.

According to the operator's and FAA records, the pilot had approximately 2,500 total hours of flight experience. He held multiple certificates and ratings, including a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine, multi-engine, and instrument-airplane ratings. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued in July 2011, and his most recent flight review was completed in September 2011.

According to FAA information, the airplane was manufactured in 1976, and was equipped with two Honeywell TPE-331 series turboshaft engines. The airplane was recently purchased by the operator, and was flown from Indiana to the operator's base in Arizona about 1 week prior to the accident. The airframe had accumulated a total time in service (TT) of approximately 8,188 hours. The left engine had accumulated a TT since major overhaul (SMOH) of about 545 hours, and the right engine had accumulated a TTSMOH of 1,482 hours.

The FFZ 1854 automated weather observation included winds from 350 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 40 miles; few clouds at 20,000 feet; temperature 23 degrees C; dew point -1 degrees C; and an altimeter setting of 29.93 inches of mercury. U.S. Naval Observatory data for November 23 indicated that the moon, which was a waning crescent of 3 percent, set at 1605, and local sunset occurred at 1721.

Index for Nov2011 | Index of months

[azbackpackr]

" About 1828, the airplane reached an altitude of 4,500 feet msl, where it remained, and tracked in an essentially straight line, until it impacted the terrain. The last radar return was received at 1830:56, and was approximately coincident with the impact location."

So, I would guess, that what I have posted in bold type is what people are wondering about, wondering why he maintained same altitude, in a straight line, etc??? Perhaps there could have been something wrong with the plane, or the altimeter reading? I mean, this guy was a commercial pilot, so something had to have gone wrong, I would think.

[RickVincent]

Is it maybe something as simple as just losing focus at a critical moment. How many experienced drivers have run through a red light causing a major accident or maybe just getting lucky. I went up there on Saturday and saw the crash site. Horrible feeling to reflect on what happened. Another 50-100 feet and they probably would have been in the clear.

[BEEBEE]

Due to the airspace design on the east end of the valley aircraft not on an instrument flight plan stay low to remain outside of the Phoenix Class B airspace and then once clear they can climb up to a higher altitude. This plane was not on a flight plan (IFR or VFR) and did not request clearance to enter the Class B airspace and was planning on remaining below what is referred to as the shelf which has a base of 5,000 feet above sea level and a top of 9,000 feet above sea level and ran into the terrain. The term for this type of accident in aviation is called CFIT Controlled Flight Into Terrain and it an all too common killer. A few years back a similar accident occurred with a plane that departed Scottsdale airport and impacted the McDowell Mountains on its western face. Since the night was moonless the ridge line was not silhouetted and would have been difficult to see with out onboard equipment such as TAWS, EGPWS or SVT. Had the pilot been talking to Phoenix Departure the controller would have been issuing an altitude alert that the aircraft was heading to higher terrain. The 4,500 Altitude is a common altitude to maintain until clear of the Class B airspace it would keep you below the Bravo as it is called with a 500 foot margine to prevent an uncleared entry and once clear of the Bravo the pilot (I am speculating based on experience) would have planned to climb to a higher odd altitude plus 500 feet which is a standard practice for a VFR flight going east (example 9,500 odd altitude 9000 plus 500 feet.

This is an update to a post I made earlier now that more facts are available.

[BEEBEE]

The report does not indicate what onboard equipment is installed but after the NTSB reviews the Maintenance records they will be able to tell if it had additional equipment that assists in avoiding terrain