Accident Overview
The aircraft was destroyed when it impacted terrain in the Superstition Mountains near Apache Junction, Arizona. The commercial pilot and the five passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Ponderosa Aviation, Inc. (PAI) and operated by PAI under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Flight History
The airplane had departed Falcon Field (FFZ) in Mesa, Arizona, about 1825 and was destined for Safford Regional Airport (SAD) in Safford, Arizona. PAI’s director of maintenance (DOM) and director of operations (DO), co-owners of PAI along with the president, had conducted a personal flight from SAD to FFZ earlier. The DO flew that leg under visual flight rules in night conditions. After arriving at FFZ, the DOM moved to the left front seat to act as the pilot flying for the return leg. The departure occurred about 12 minutes after arrival. A witness reported that engine start and taxi-out appeared normal.
Witness and Radar Data
Review of recorded communications between the pilot and FFZ tower controllers revealed that the pilot requested an eastbound departure. The flight was cleared for takeoff on runway 4R and instructed to maintain runway heading due to an inbound aircraft. About 90 seconds later, when the airplane was about 1.1 miles from the runway end, the tower controller issued a right turn approval, which the pilot acknowledged. Radar data showed the airplane flew runway heading for about 1.5 miles, then began a right turn toward SAD and climbed through about 2,600 feet mean sea level. Around 1828, after momentarily reaching 4,700 feet, the airplane descended to 4,500 feet and proceeded in a straight line until impact. The last radar return at 1830:56 was approximately coincident with the impact location near the top of a steep mountain rising over 5,000 feet msl. Witnesses reported seeing a fireball, and law enforcement helicopters were dispatched.
Probable Cause
The probable cause, as stated in the official findings, was the pilot's failure to maintain a safe ground track and altitude combination for the moonless night visual flight rules flight, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's complacency and lack of situational awareness and his failure to use air traffic control visual flight rules flight following or minimum safe altitude warning services. Also contributing was the airplane's lack of onboard terrain awareness and warning system equipment.