PIPER PA-32-300

Full Narrative

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn January 2, 2025, at an unknown time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N4151R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Round Mountain, Nevada. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to the pilot’s wife, he left on the morning of the accident (a Thursday), and when he did not return home that evening, she assumed that he had left for a couple of days to “regroup,” which was not unusual. However, she became worried when the pilot did not respond to texts and phone calls from their children on Saturday, January 4, and filed a missing persons report on Sunday, January 5. After going to the airport, she realized the pilot’s airplane was missing, and her daughter subsequently filed a missing aircraft report. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT) for the missing airplane on January 6. The wreckage was located by the Nevada Department of Wildlife on January 16.
According to ADS-B flight track data, the airplane departed from North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, Nevada, about 1051 Pacific standard time and made a climbing right turn to a northwesterly heading. About 1104, the airplane turned left to a westerly heading and maintained an altitude about 10,000 ft mean sea level (msl). About 1143, the flight track turned northerly, and continued on this heading until it ceased completely at 1203:48, at an altitude of 10,000 ft msl.
The wreckage was located by law enforcement about 60 nm north of the last recorded ADS-B data point at the base of the northeastern face of Mt. Jefferson within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, at an elevation of about 11,000 ft msl. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the pilot’s wife filed a missing persons report on January 5, 2025. The pilot’s daughter reported that her father did not disclose any plan or intention to fly on the day of the accident to them or anyone they knew. Her father would usually tell her mom if he planned to fly; however, sometimes he would inform her only after he flew. She added that her parents enjoyed hiking together and that her father may have been scouting possible hiking areas in advance of her parents’ upcoming 40th wedding anniversary. The pilot’s wife reported that he had been talking with her about hiking and staying in a cabin in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, an area they had driven through during a previous trip to Idaho. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane was serviced with 35 gallons of 100 low lead (100LL) aviation fuel at 1030 on the day of the accident. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe closest weather reporting location was Tonopah Airport (KTPH), Tonopah, Nevada, located about 44 miles south of the accident site at an elevation of 5,430 ft. The 1256 observation included wind from the southwest at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles or more, sky clear below 12,000 ft, temperature 12°C (53°F), dew point temperature -5°C (23°F), and an altimeter setting of 30.25 inHg.
The area forecast discussion for 1230 on the day of the accident predicted no operationally significant clouds, wind, or weather for the remainder of the day.
The forecast wind for LAS at 9,000 ft was from the south at 11 knots with a temperature of 6°C; at 12,000 ft, forecast wind was from the southwest at 11 knots with a temperature of 0°C. For Ely, Nevada (located about 144 miles southeast of the accident), the wind at 9,000 ft was from the southwest at 7 knots with a temperature of 2°C, and for 12,000 ft, from the west at 18 knots with a temperature of 01°C.
A High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) modeling of the weather at the accident site for 10,650 ft msl to about 12,000 ft msl showed wind from the southwest at approximately 7 kts. The HRRR showed no indication of clear air turbulence, low-level wind shear, or mountain wave formation potential. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe airplane was serviced with 35 gallons of 100 low lead (100LL) aviation fuel at 1030 on the day of the accident. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe accident site was located about 174 nm northeast of the departure airport. The NTSB did not launch to the scene of the accident for safety reasons. The airplane was recovered on January 28, 2025, and transported to a secure facility for follow-up examination. Photographs provided by the recovery team showed that the main wreckage came to rest at the base of a mountain ridge. The empennage, which comprised the vertical stabilizer, rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and stabilator, was separated from the fuselage and collocated with the main wreckage. The left wing, fuselage, and engine compartment came to rest a few feet from the main wreckage.
Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that several sections of flight control cable had completely separated from the airplane due to overstress or cuts made by recovery personnel. The left wing exhibited accordion-style compression along the leading edge. The left aileron primary and balance cables were intact; however, the right aileron primary and balance cables were not found within the recovered wreckage.
During a second trip to the accident site, a recovery team retrieved sections of the right wing, along with the second magneto and numerous pieces of airframe skin. The right wing’s leading edge exhibited accordion-style compression and was mostly crushed aft. The propeller blades were not recovered.
Mechanical continuity of the engine’s internal components was established visually using a lighted borescope. The crankshaft gear bolt and dowel pin remained secure and intact. The combustion chambers were mechanically undamaged and there was no evidence of foreign object ingestion or detonation. The internal engine components did not exhibit any indications of thermal distress. The piston faces and recovered valves did not exhibit any preimpact damage, displayed coloration consistent with normal wear, and were free of foreign object ingestion damage signatures. The coloration within the cylinder combustion chambers and recovered portion of the exhaust system was consistent with normal operation. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONAn autopsy was conducted on the pilot by the Clark County Medical Examiner, Las Vegas, Nevada. The cause of death was blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing of the pilot’s specimens conducted by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory did not reveal any drugs of abuse.