Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Burlington, Wyoming 82411
Wednesday, March 26, 1997 10:10 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Before flight, both wing fuel tanks were 'topped off' with 50 gallons of usable fuel. At about 0950 MST, the pilot departed Worland, Wyoming, en route to Cody, Wyoming, to commence the second half of an aerial pipeline patrol route. After an estimated 20 minutes of flight, the aircraft crashed in an area of uneven, sage covered, terrain. The flaps were found extended 8 degrees, the ignition had been switched to 'LEFT,' and there was evidence that the pilot had slowed the aircraft before it impacted uneven terrain. No evidence was found to indicate that the engine was developing power when impact occurred; aft bending of the propeller was noted with minimal abrasion and chordwise scratching. Extensive hydraulic effect was noted on both main fuel tanks, as well as on one of the brass floats within the carburetor float chamber. An engine teardown revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunction, and no anomaly was found with the aircraft's fuel, air, or ignition systems. Postcrash testing of the aircraft's auxiliary fuel system revealed no mechanical malfunction. Temperature and due point at Worland were 54 and 32 degrees; according to icing probability charts, these conditions were conducive for carburetor ice; however, carburetor icing was not verified.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/26/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1010 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | BURLINGTON |
| Event State | WYOMING |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 82411 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 958 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 112 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | WRL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4245 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 32 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| 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) | 1464 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 26 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1630 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N97527 |
| NTSB Number | SEA97FA076 |
| 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 | 172P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172P |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17276203 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 12 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 326 |
| Airframe Hours | 11667 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BRENTCO AERIAL PATROL, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5420 GREENHILL CIRCLE |
| Aircraft Owner City | EAST CANTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44730 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | BRENTCO AERIAL PATROL, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | BOX 2853 |
| Operator City | DURANGO |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 81302 |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | WRL |
| Departure City | WORLAND |
| Departure State | WY |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 950 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | WRL |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | WY |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent - uncontrolled |
| 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 | -- |