Story ID: 
Preliminary Report: Meridian hits wires
By: David A. Lombardo
Caption: 
Piper PA-46-500TP, Albuquerque, N.M., March 7, 2003
–At 7:18 p.m.
Word Count: 146
Piper PA-46-500TP, Albuquerque, N.M., March 7, 2003–At 7:18 p.m. MST a Piper Meridian N522RF was destroyed when it crashed during a VFR approach to Double Eagle II Airport in Albuquerque, N.M. The instrument-rated private pilot and both passengers died. The aircraft had departed from Scottsdale, Ariz., at 6:06 p.m. on an IFR flight plan under Part 91. The pilot had canceled his flight plan for a visual approach at the nontower airport just before the accident.Witnesses said the pilot made a normal 45-degree entrance to downwind for a right base to Runway 22. They further stated that the aircraft appeared to be at the normal pattern altitude of 1,000 feet agl and that communications were normal. They said they saw a spark when the aircraft hit transmission wires, and radio contact with the pilot was subsequently lost. The airplane was found approximately 90 minutes later.