Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laramie, Wyoming 82070
Friday, August 26, 1994 17:10 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 500 FEET BELOW RIDGELINE WHILE MANEUVERING IN A BOWL OR CANYON, DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING. SURFACE WINDS AT THE NEAREST REPORTING FACILITY WERE FIFTEEN KNOTS, APROXIMATELY PERPENDICULAR TO THE RIDGELINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE RIDGELINE AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. POST-CRASH FIRE CONSUMED ABOUT 10 ACRES OF FOREST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM TERRAIN. DOWNDRAFT WIND ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE RIDGELINE WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1710
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LARAMIE
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82070
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1700 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 1853
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N79444
NTSB Number SEA94FA225
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 17258093
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOODS, JOHN G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6755 CLEARMONT ST
Aircraft Owner City COMMERCE CITY
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 48V
Departure City ERIE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RKS
Destination City ROCK SPRINGS
Destination State WY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --