Heber City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Heber City, Utah 84032
Tuesady, February 6, 1996 13:37 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The non-instrument rated private pilot stated that the visibility near his destination was reduced due to fog, but he thought he had enough visibility to land on runway 3. As he entered the base leg, he overshot the runway and attempted to correct. During the landing, the left main landing gear struck a snowbank on the edge of the runway, and the airplane was pulled into the ground. The left wing was torn off in the impact. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Under the 'Recommendation' section of the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot suggested 'avoid complacent attitude' to prevent the accident from occurring again.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's attempted VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain adequate altitude and clearance from terrain during the landing flare. Factors contributing to the accident were the snowbank, fog, and the pilot's complacent attitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/6/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1337
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City HEBER CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84032
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HEBER CITY MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 36U
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5632
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID PVU
Elevation of weather observation facility 4491
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 189
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 6 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9242C
NTSB Number SEA96LA049
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7840092
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Jul 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 2101
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name L.G. KITCHENS TRANSPORTATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31197 CLARK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LUCERNE VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92356
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 APV
Departure City APPLE VALLEY
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 910
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 3
Runway Length 6900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --