Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain crash, Dec 18, 2012 (1 killed)
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain accident on December 18, 2012 near Payson, Arizona, United States with 1 fatality. Cause: Loss of control after an...
- Date: December 18, 2012
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
- Location: Payson, Arizona, United States
- Fatalities: 1
- Phase of flight: En route
- Cause: Loss of control after an encounter at night in IMC with unforecast strong up- and downdrafts and likely supercooled large droplet icing, which the airplane was not certified to fly in.
A cargo Navajo flying an Ameriflight route at dusk and then night tried to reach a remote airport by visual means in cloud and mountain terrain. It climbed into icing and strong up- and downdrafts above 10,000 ft and then entered a steep nose-down dive into the ground. The pilot was killed.