On July 12, 1990, a Piper PA22-150 (registration N8231C) operated by Raymond D. Carson was involved in an aviation accident near Springerville, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while flying in mountainous terrain with severe downdrafts. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot flying through mountainous terrain encountered severe downdrafts while approaching power lines. Unable to regain altitude, the aircraft descended and struck a large rock.
What happened
The pilot reported that the aircraft was in cruise flight over a mountainous area when it encountered severe downdrafts. As the aircraft approached high tension power lines, the pilot elected to fly underneath them. After passing the lines, the pilot stated that he could not get the aircraft to climb again. The aircraft settled onto the ground and collided with a large rock.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was the severe downdrafts encountered in mountainous terrain, which prevented the aircraft from maintaining or gaining altitude while navigating under power lines.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while flying in mountainous terrain with severe downdrafts.
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