Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Show Low, Arizona 85901
Saturday, March 19, 1994 21:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ON A PERSONAL VFR CROSS-COUNTRY NIGHT FLIGHT TOWARD MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING THAT INDICATED VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE DESTINATION WEATHER CONDITIONS CONSISTED OF RAIN, LOW CEILINGS AND LOW VISIBILITY, ICING CONDITIONS, AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION. THE PILOT DEPARTED ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS AFTER THE BRIEFING AND DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION. AFTER BEING REPORTED OVERDUE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED 2 DAYS LATER ABOUT 9 MILES EAST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT CURRENT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CERTIFICATED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's intentional VFR flight into known adverse IMC weather conditions. Inadequate preflight planning, dark night operations, and weather conditions that included low ceilings and mountain obscuration were factors in the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2145
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SHOW LOW
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85901
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 655
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 23 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1222
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5222U
NTSB Number LAX94FA171
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier 206
Aircraft Serial Number 2060222
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 161
Airframe Hours 6281
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL A. WOLFE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3300 S. PIMA
Aircraft Owner City FLAGSTAFF
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ACTION MEDICAL SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1220 E. 3RD
Operator City WINSLOW
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86047
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code P10
Departure City CHANDLER
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --