Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bagdad, Arizona 86321
Wednesday, January 22, 1997 8:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The operator reported that several flights were canceled on the morning of the accident due to darkening weather north of the departure airport. A witness on the ground reported that the mountain tops around the accident site were shrouded in clouds. A second witness reported a cloud bank over the mountains, southeast of the destination airport. A third witness flying through the area reported that the mountains near the accident site were obscured in low clouds. The pilot received a weather briefing before departure. The aircraft was found to have crashed into rising mountainous terrain south of his destination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

continued flight by the pilot into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the high/mountainous terrain and adverse weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/22/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BAGDAD
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86321
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 845 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 92
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5042
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 48
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1158
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 22 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1733
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N736WZ
NTSB Number LAX97FA093
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 R172K
Aircraft Series Identifier R172K
Aircraft Serial Number R1722858
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 13 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 4990
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BULWAL PARTNERSHIP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 432 SOUTH 5TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City CAMP VERDE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86322
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RONALD J. HAARER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 732 WEST DEER VALLEY ROAD
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85027
Operator Code WIWR
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 DVT
Departure City PHOENIX
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 755
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IGM
Destination City KINGMAN
Destination State AZ
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 --