Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Austin, Nevada 83702
Tuesady, January 28, 1992 12:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS ON AN INTERMEDIATE SEGMENT OF A BUSINESS RELATED CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. SOME WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING A HIGHWAY OVER A 7,500 FOOT MOUNTAIN PASS AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 300 FEET AGL. A SNOW STORM WITH VISIBILITY ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 120 FEET WAS IN PROGRESS. OVERCAST CEILINGS WERE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. AN AIRMET FOR TURBULENCE AND ICING CONDITIONS WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA OF FLIGHT. OTHER WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MANEUVER OVER THE HIGHWAY, TURN RIGHT AND DESCEND INTO THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DELAY IN REVERSING DIRECTION, HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND INADVERTENT STALL WHILE MANEUVERING TO REVERSE DIRECTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT CONSISTED OF LOW CEILINGS, SNOW, AND ICING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/28/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City AUSTIN
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83702
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
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
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Light
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) 355
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46456
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39HP
NTSB Number LAX92LA105
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 25819
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Jan 24 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 1652
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD L. PRESCOTT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 240 SHERMAN ST.
Aircraft Owner City BOISE
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83702
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HOWARD L. PRESCOTT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 240 SHERMAN ST.
Operator City BOISE
Operator State ID
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 83702
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BAM
Departure City BATTLE MTN
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1117
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L66
Destination City CORONA
Destination State CA
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 --