2. General Aviation Archaeology

September 14, 1958: Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer (N7621D) near Pahrump, NV

ACCIDENT SYNOPSIS:

This was a simple weekend pleasure flight by friends that never made it home. Arthur Whittaker, a well known and liked business man in the Las Vegas area and a small group of friends decided to rent a nearly new Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer for the day.

They departed Skyport Airport (North Las Vegas Airport) about 11:00 AM on a Sunday with clear skies and light breezes. They first headed for Ash Meadows Field and then flew on to Jean, Nevada. At 4:00 PM, the Piper departed Jean for the return flight to Skyport Field. Taking what appeared to be a scenic detour around the Western slopes of the 8,500+ foot Spring Mountain Range, the aircraft impacted a 6,000 foot ridge-line in a relatively nose-low, flat attitude. There was no post crash fire, but all occupants were killed in the accident.

HISTORICAL SUMMARY:

This accident site was discovered during 1996 while searching Southern Nevada's Charleston Mountain Range for a Beechcraft AT-11 that crashed during World War 2.

When we found this wreck, we thought we found the AT-11. The next day we hiked to the site only to find it was this Piper Tri-Pacer. Several years passed before I was able to gather enough photos and documentation to determine the story behind this accident. A thank you to Joe Idoni for putting the pieces together.
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  • THE AIRCRAFT<br /> <br /> Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer is a four-place single engine aircraft.<br /> <br /> Over 8000 Tri-Pacer aicraft were produced between 1953 and 1960 when production ended, with over 2000 still registered with the FAA in 2006.<br /> <br /> The accident aircraft was a rental plane from Skyport Airport outside of Las Vegas.

    THE AIRCRAFT

    Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer is a four-place single engine aircraft.

    Over 8000 Tri-Pacer aicraft were produced between 1953 and 1960 when production ended, with over 2000 still registered with the FAA in 2006.

    The accident aircraft was a rental plane from Skyport Airport outside of Las Vegas.

  • THE PILOT<br /> <br /> Arthur "Art" Whittaker was 40 years old at the time of the accident and held a Private Pilot Certificate. He was a prominent business man in Las Vegas. He was the owner of Art's Loan and Jewelry Shop and part owner of the Lucky Star Casino in Henderson, Nevada.<br /> <br /> Passengers killed along with Whittaker included James Valdivia, 42 a civilian engineer at the Nevada Atomic Test Site. Herb Sturmer, 43 and Jack Rencher, 45 also perished in the crash.

    THE PILOT

    Arthur "Art" Whittaker was 40 years old at the time of the accident and held a Private Pilot Certificate. He was a prominent business man in Las Vegas. He was the owner of Art's Loan and Jewelry Shop and part owner of the Lucky Star Casino in Henderson, Nevada.

    Passengers killed along with Whittaker included James Valdivia, 42 a civilian engineer at the Nevada Atomic Test Site. Herb Sturmer, 43 and Jack Rencher, 45 also perished in the crash.

  • THE ACCIDENT<br /> <br /> The crash site was discovered and reported by U.S.A.F. Captain James Laing on a routine flight from Nellis A.F.B. just hours after the accident. A rescue party arrived shortly later to find no survivors. <br /> <br /> The accident made the front page headlines in the Las Vegas Review Journal a day after the accident.

    THE ACCIDENT

    The crash site was discovered and reported by U.S.A.F. Captain James Laing on a routine flight from Nellis A.F.B. just hours after the accident. A rescue party arrived shortly later to find no survivors.

    The accident made the front page headlines in the Las Vegas Review Journal a day after the accident.

  • The aircraft came down in steep rocky terrain. The weather was clear on the date of the accident leaving CAA Accident Investigators to believe that Whittaker may have encountered a strong downdraft or simply stalled the aircraft while maneuvering. (Photo courtesy of Scroggins Aviation)

    The aircraft came down in steep rocky terrain. The weather was clear on the date of the accident leaving CAA Accident Investigators to believe that Whittaker may have encountered a strong downdraft or simply stalled the aircraft while maneuvering. (Photo courtesy of Scroggins Aviation)

    PiperN7621D

  • It is unfortunate, but loss of control accidents such as this continue to occur in General Aviation. Proper training and knowing the aircraft's limits and your own limits is the best prevention. (Photo courtesy of Scroggins Aviation)

    It is unfortunate, but loss of control accidents such as this continue to occur in General Aviation. Proper training and knowing the aircraft's limits and your own limits is the best prevention. (Photo courtesy of Scroggins Aviation)

    PiperN76

  • CRASH SITE LOCATED - 1996<br /> <br /> We found the wreck as we searched the rugged Western slopes of the Spring Mountains for a military Beech AT-11 that crashed in the area during World War 2.

    CRASH SITE LOCATED - 1996

    We found the wreck as we searched the rugged Western slopes of the Spring Mountains for a military Beech AT-11 that crashed in the area during World War 2.

  • The site was circled while we established our position using a portable first-generation GPS receiver.

    The site was circled while we established our position using a portable first-generation GPS receiver.

  • The wreck did not quite look like an AT-11 from the air. It was felt there was not enough wreckage for what a crashed AT-11 would leave behind. We decided however it was worth a closer look by foot.

    The wreck did not quite look like an AT-11 from the air. It was felt there was not enough wreckage for what a crashed AT-11 would leave behind. We decided however it was worth a closer look by foot.

  • The next day we drove out to the area of the crash site near the town of Pahrump. The hike up to the site took an hour or so of climbing the loose rocky terrain. When we reached the site, It became clear to us that the aircraft was not World War 2 vintage.

    The next day we drove out to the area of the crash site near the town of Pahrump. The hike up to the site took an hour or so of climbing the loose rocky terrain. When we reached the site, It became clear to us that the aircraft was not World War 2 vintage.

  • It was an ugly mangled wreck of a plane and it looked like it came down very steep and very hard. The wreckage was contained in a relatively small area suggesting a steep uncontrolled decent. <br /> <br /> There was some evidence of salvage, but much of the aircraft structure was still in place.

    It was an ugly mangled wreck of a plane and it looked like it came down very steep and very hard. The wreckage was contained in a relatively small area suggesting a steep uncontrolled decent.

    There was some evidence of salvage, but much of the aircraft structure was still in place.

  • The twisted remains of the pilot's seat illustrates the force of the impact.

    The twisted remains of the pilot's seat illustrates the force of the impact.

  • The crankshaft from the Lycoming O-320 engine. It appears the engine was examined on-site by the CAA Accident Investigators. <br /> <br /> Today, these types of engine components are removed from crash sites for closer analysis.

    The crankshaft from the Lycoming O-320 engine. It appears the engine was examined on-site by the CAA Accident Investigators.

    Today, these types of engine components are removed from crash sites for closer analysis.

  • The forward right cowl was fragmented, but still had the visible manufacture's name "PIPER". The aircraft was painted white with red trim. A typical scheme for Piper aircraft at the time.

    The forward right cowl was fragmented, but still had the visible manufacture's name "PIPER". The aircraft was painted white with red trim. A typical scheme for Piper aircraft at the time.

  • The propeller was just slightly bent considering the damage to the rest of the aircraft. Very little rotational damage was noticed on the propeller.

    The propeller was just slightly bent considering the damage to the rest of the aircraft. Very little rotational damage was noticed on the propeller.

  • An overall view of the crash site. Personal effects located at the site were not many, but included discarded shoes.

    An overall view of the crash site. Personal effects located at the site were not many, but included discarded shoes.

  • The bottom of the left wing with landing light. There were many clues to help identify the aircraft make and model, but little else to determine the exact date of the accident.

    The bottom of the left wing with landing light. There were many clues to help identify the aircraft make and model, but little else to determine the exact date of the accident.

  • The inverted fuselage and left wing of the Piper among the boulders. <br /> <br /> The details of the accident were difficult to locate since there was no record of an accident report (the national database begins January 1962). There is also no record of the accident wreckage on the Civil Air Patrol's wreckage locator database.<br /> <br /> Fellow Aviation Archaeologist Joe Idoni searched online newspaper archives to bring this story to life. Thanks Joe!<br /> <br /> (THE END)

    The inverted fuselage and left wing of the Piper among the boulders.

    The details of the accident were difficult to locate since there was no record of an accident report (the national database begins January 1962). There is also no record of the accident wreckage on the Civil Air Patrol's wreckage locator database.

    Fellow Aviation Archaeologist Joe Idoni searched online newspaper archives to bring this story to life. Thanks Joe!

    (THE END)

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