Piper PA-31-350 accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, February 28, 1996
On February 28, 1996 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N27989, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Grand Canyon Natl Park airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft after landing. Contributing to the accident was the icy runway conditions with poor braking.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1996 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Grand Canyon Natl Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N27989 · registry record · serial 31-7952077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the operator, the pilot obtained preflight weather information from DUAT, ASOS, and had made a call to the Grand Canyon tower. The weather was above landing minimums and forecast to stay above. The operator stated that for the last 3 months the ASOS had not been reliable. According to the pilot's report, he received ATIS information 'Juliet' approaching Grand Canyon and it was 1,200 scattered with visibility of 3/4 miles. According to the FAA, information 'Juliet' was reporting, 50 minutes before the accident: a measured ceiling 1,300 feet broken; 3,000 feet overcast; visibility 3/4 mile in fog; temperature 23 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 21 degrees Fahrenheit; wind calm; and the altimeter was 30.03 inHg. At the time of the accident, the ASOS was reporting indefinite 400 feet overcast with 1/4 mile in fog and snow. The ILS approach requires a minimum of a 200-foot ceiling and 1/2 mile visibility. The braking action was reported as poor due to snow and ice. The airplane landed to the left of the runway centerline and collapsed the landing gear as it slid sideways. A light ice buildup was observed on the leading edges of the airframe by airport personnel. According to the pilot, he had operated the deice boots just prior to landing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,480 hours in all; 1,670 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 4,280 as pilot in command; 1,050 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,261 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 21, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV at 3:50 pm
- Destination: GCN AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 8,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from GCN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.