Aviation News

Three Are Dead After Plane Crashes Into Mountains Outside Of Centennial, Wyoming

On January 17, 2007, approximately 2215 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N43630, registered to Archer Nevada LLC, and piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain during cruise flight, 6 miles northwest of Centennial, Wyoming. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 on a visual flight rules flight plan. The pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. The cross-country flight departed the Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport (RKS) approximately 2115, and was en route to Grand Island, Nebraska (GRI).

According to Blue Ridge Aeronautics, a flight school in Vacaville, California, the flight departed Nut Tree Airport (KVCB) approximately 1100 Pacific standard time. The flight was to travel to Grand Island, Nebraska, on the 17th and continue on to Chicago, Illinois, on the 18th. The pilot reported to the flight school that he intended to follow Interstate 80 for the entire flight.

According to the airport manager in RKS, the airplane arrived approximately 2030 and obtained fuel services. The airplane did not arrive in GRI and an Alert Notification (ALNOT) was issued for the missing airplane. According to National Track Analysis Program (NTAP), the airplane was tracked from RKS to 10 miles west of Centennial. Search and rescue crews located the airplane wreckage approximately 0830 on the morning of January 19th.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge arrived on scene approximately 1300 on January 19, 2007. The accident site was located in mountainous, forested, snow covered terrain. A global positioning system receiver reported the coordinates of the main wreckage as 41 degrees 21 minutes 58.6 seconds north latitude, and 106 degrees 15 minutes 29.6 seconds west longitude. The accident site was at an elevation of 10,710 feet mean sea level and the airplane impacted on a magnetic heading of 260 degrees. The wreckage consisted of the fuselage, empennage, and the left wing. The right wing separated partially and was found adjacent to the belly of the fuselage. The wreckage came to rest inverted in approximately 3 to 5 feet of snow.

The closest official weather observation station was Laramie Regional Airport (KLAR), Laramie, Wyoming, located 27 nautical miles (nm) east of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 7,278 feet msl. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for LAR, issued at 0953, reported, winds, 290 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 18 knots, visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature minus 10 degrees Celsius (C); dewpoint, minus 18 degrees C; altimeter, 29.94 inches.

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	Did You Know?
	Private pilots must be at least 17 years old and have a minimum of 40 hours of flight time The actual average is about 65 hours), including 20 hours of instruction and 10 hours solo. Pilots trained according to accelerated curricula defined in Part 141 of the Federal Aviation Regulations may be certified with a minimum of 35 hours. Private pilots may not fly for hire but may share equally with their passengers the direct expenses of a flight – specifically, fuel, oil, airport transient parking/landing fees, and aircraft rental charges.