2 fatal · PIPER PA-28-140 · 2021-06-18 · Rush Valley, UT, USA
Event
NTSB number
WPR21FA231
Event ID
20210618103287
Type
Accident
Date
2021-06-18
Location
Rush Valley, UT, USA
Coordinates
40.403089, -112.58235
Injuries
Highest injury
FATL
Fatal
2
Serious
0
Minor
0
Uninjured
0
Total aboard
2
Aircraft
Make
PIPER
Model
PA-28-140
Registration
N6323R
FAR Part
091
Engines
1
Damage
SUBS
Conditions
Light
NITE
Weather
VMC
Probable cause
The pilot’s misidentification of a mountain pass at night, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s overconfidence based on her previous aviation experience and fatigue due to both the time of the flight and her work schedule. Also contributing was the pilot’s decision not to install an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) system, which forced a flightpath close to mountainous terrain to avoid the Mode-C and ADS-B Out veil.