August 12, 2001: Piper PA-28-180 (N8098W) Boulder City, NV
What started as a fun night of dinner and drinking ended in tragedy when Private Pilot Michael Rizzo, age 37 of Henderson, Nevada and Richard Albers, age 32 of Boulder City decided to go on a late night flight in the skies above Southern Nevada.
The aircraft departed at an unknown time from Boulder City and may have stayed in the local area, but could have flown as far as Bullhead City, AZ. Just after midnight, The Piper was observed by another aircraft making a steep descending left base turn to the final approach of Boulder City Airport's Runway 27L (Left).
Suddenly there was a bright flash followed by a fireball. The aircraft struck a 66 foot high-voltage power line pole just over a mile short of the runway and exploded on impact. Both Rizzo and Albers perished in the accident.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
About three years ago, I was on final approach to Boulder City when I noticed a small white cross in the middle of the desert. I always wondered why a cross was there. In the back of my mind I suspected a plane crash. I did some research and visited the local library to find the story. My visit to the crash site was in August, almost 10 years after the accident. It was hot and well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
I located the power pole the aircraft struck and soon found pieces of the aircraft. Not many fragments and those that I did locate were quite small. A memorial cross placed in memory of passenger Richard Albers rests at the west corner of the crash site.
THE AIRCRAFT
The Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee (N8098W) MSN: 28-2193, was manufactured February 1965. It was purchased by Michael Rizzo on December 20, 1999. It was powered by a 180 horsepower Lycoming O-360-A3A engine.
It is unknown what maintenance the aircraft may have had as no records were located during the accident investigation.
PIPER PA-28 CHEROKEE
The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of light aircraft designed for flight training, air taxi, and personal use. It is built by Piper Aircraft.
All members of the PA-28 family are all-metal, unpressurized, single-engine, piston-powered airplanes with low-mounted wings and tricycle landing gear. They all have a single door on the co-pilot side, which is entered by stepping on the wing.
THE ACCIDENT
The crash site of Piper N8098W is located just over a mile east of Boulder City Airport's Runway 27L.
The crash site location is visible to any aircraft while on final approach to the airport from the east.
The power lines that surround the airport perimeter carry generated electric power from nearby Hoover Dam. Aircraft maintaining a safe distance from these towers and wires during takeoff and landing is a must.
THE ACCIDENT
August 12, 2001, flying in the darkness of night, aircraft "N8098W" was operating well below a safe approach altitude when it struck the 66 foot electric power pole.
The pole, identified in the accident report as number "X14329" was struck near the top at 66 feet above the ground. The pole carries phase lines charged with 69,000 volts.
Each pole carries an identification number. The number made it easy to identify the one struck by the aircraft.
Much of the Piper Cherokee was ripped apart when it made contact with the top of the pole. The arcing high voltage lines and fuel from the ruptured wing tanks ignited a fireball that was witnessed by several Boulder City residents.
The first fragment I located from the Piper was found directly below the power pole.
This melted nodule of aircraft aluminum was the only fragment located that gave testimony of the intense post crash fire.
This piece of painted aircraft aluminum was the largest fragment located at the crash site.
The fragments remaining at the crash can probably be carried in one hand. This was the typical size of the wreckage located.
The torn shreds of wreckage were sparsely scattered throughout the site. Most of the fragments were located in close vicinity of the power pole.
RICHIE ALBERS MEMORIAL
Richard B. Albers was a construction worker and a long time resident of Boulder City. On the night of August 12th, he was the passenger on the ill fated flight. Albers is survived by his parents of Toms River, NJ. He was buried in Toms River.
Numerous personal articles left by family or friends surround this lone cross at the crash site. A few fragments of aircraft wreckage were also placed at the memorial.
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