What happened
On a night flight under visual meteorological conditions, a Ponderosa Aviation, Inc. aircraft departed Falcon Field (FFZ) in Mesa, Arizona, bound for Saffoden Regional Airport (SAD). The flight was being conducted under Part 91 regulations for personal use. The crew consisted of the company's director of maintenance, acting as pilot, and the director of operations, alongside five passengers.
Following a normal engine start and taxi procedure, the pilot requested taxi clearance and indicated an eastbound departure. Air traffic controllers instructed the aircraft to maintain the runway heading temporarily due to an inbound plane. Shortly after takeoff from runway 4R, the pilot received clearance to execute a right turn.
Radar tracking indicated that the aircraft type (unspecified model) followed the runway heading for approximately 1.5 miles before initiating the turn toward the destination. After climbing to an altitude of roughly 4,700 feet, the aircraft descended to 4,500 feet and continued on a straight path. The flight ended when the plane struck high terrain in the Superstition Mountains near Apache Junction. The impact resulted in 6 fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft struck a steep mountain peak that rises above 5,000 feet MSL.
- The flight was operating under night VFR without a filed flight plan.
- The aircraft maintained a straight flight path after the turn until it struck the terrain.