N759FCompagnie Daher TB 30 EPSILON · 1988

On June 10, 2023, at 0751 mountain standard time, a Compagnie Daher TB-30 Epsilon, N759F, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Apache Junction, Arizona. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The accident airplane was flying formation in the No. 2 position with two other TB-30 airplanes, N315GC (lead) and N130KL (No. 3), which were not carrying passengers. The flight of three airplanes departed Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona at 0742 with a planned destination of Payson Airport (PAN), Payson, Arizona. According to the lead and No. 3 pilots, they intended to fly around the Superstition Mountains east of Mesa before flying to PAN. They intended to eat lunch at PAN and, following lunch, the passenger in the No. 2 airplane would return to FFZ in one of the other formation airplanes, and the No. 2 pilot and airplane would continue a cross-country flight to the east coast.

Recorded ADS-B data was recovered for the lead and No. 3 airplanes. The data showed that the flight proceeded eastbound until about 0748, when the flight began maneuvering to the northeast. The flight then turned right to a southeasterly heading and descended towards the west side of the Superstition Mountains (figure 1). According to the lead and No. 3 pilots, the flights took spacing before descending toward the mountains and were in a “relaxed extended trail” formation about 500 ft above the ground as they flew around the mountains.

Figure 1 –Lead airplane’s flight path (ADS-B Data)

Several witnesses observed the airplanes flying to the south along the west side of the mountains at a low altitude. They reported that the lead and No. 2 airplanes were close together, flying similar profiles, while the No. 3 airplane was further behind. One witness stated that the lead airplane crossed a ridgeline in over 90° of bank, and that the second airplane was less aggressive than the first, and the third airplane was higher and even less aggressive. No witnesses on the ground reported observing the accident. A home security camera, facing east, captured the moment the No. 2 airplane impacted terrain. The camera was located about 2.8 miles west of the accident site and showed an area of smoke appear at the accident site. No airplanes were identifiable in the video before the impact. The video showed that the west facing slopes of the mountains were shadowed and terrain features were not defined (figure 2).

Figure 2 – Video screenshot of terrain and impact

The pilot of the No. 3 airplane reported that just before the accident, he observed the No. 2 airplane pass under the nose of his airplane from right to left, and that the nose of the airplane pitched up and down several times, but the trajectory of the airplane did not appear to change. He said the pilot of the No. 2 airplane did not make any radio calls or report any problems before the accident. He reported the accident to the pilot of the lead airplane, and they returned to FFZ.

The lead pilot and the No. 3 pilot each mentioned concerns with depth perception while flying low around the mountains. The No. 3 pilot specifically stated that he struggled with depth perception and “didn’t understand what he was seeing” regarding the terrain.

The No. 3 pilot stated the accident airplane was loaded with full fuel, baggage, and the pilot and passenger when they took off from FFZ. He noted the accident pilot asked the flight to slow down during a rejoin after departure and that the accident airplane “had difficulty keeping up” with the other two airplanes.

The pilot’s private pilot certificate was issued February 5, 2019. His pilot’s logbook contained entries of flights from May 5, 2018, to May 21, 2023. The pilot did not document any flights in mountainous terrain and annotated one flight “low level over Chesapeake” on June 5, 2021. The pilot documented numerous formation flights and that he attended two formation clinics on March 6, 2021, and December 29, 2022.

The pilot completed the Reno Air Race Association Pylon Racing Seminar (PRS) June 7, 2023. He passed all ground and flight phases of PRS.

Sunrise at the accident site occurred about 0517. The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration solar calculator placed the sun at 080° azimuth and 30° elevation from the accident site at the time of the accident.

The accident site was not accessible by investigators due to rugged terrain. An aerial assessment of the accident site by a NTSB investigator the day of the accident revealed that the airplane impacted near-vertical terrain about 200-400 ft below a ridgeline on an easterly heading. The debris field extended about 200 ft downslope from the initial point of impact (figure 3).

Figure 3 – Accident site and debris field

The wreckage was highly fragmented. The identifiable components included portions of the cockpit, the tail section from the wing spar aft to the vertical stabilizer, flap fragments from both wings, and the left, right, and nose gear assemblies. The main landing gear appeared to be in the stowed position. The nose gear assembly was separated from the fuselage. Impact damage prevented determination of flight control continuity.

The engine was highly fragmented. Identifiable components included portions of the engine case, some engine-driven accessories, and exhaust tubes. One propeller blade was identified. About 24 inches of the blade remained. Chordwise, leading and trailing edge scratches and gouging were evident on the blade.

The Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office, Florence, Arizona, performed an autopsy on the pilot’s remains. The autopsy report listed the cause of death as “multiple blunt force trauma.” Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory found no drugs of abuse.