Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cedar City, Utah 84720
Sunday, November 22, 1992 18:25 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AT NIGHT AND IN SNOWING CONDITIONS, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. SHORTLY AFTER THE FLIGHT HAD TAKEN OFF, THE PILOT MADE CONTACT WITH THE FSS FOR A WEATHER UPDATE. THE SPECIALIST INFORMED THE PILOT THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT OPTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INFORMING THE SPECIALIST THAT HE WOULD MAKE CONTACT WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS CLOSER. AS THE FLIGHT WAS NEARING THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT HAD TRIED THREE TIMES TO CONTACT THE FSS WITHOUT SUCCESS. IT WAS LATER FOUND THAT THE SPECIALIST WAS NOT MONITORING ALL OF THE FREQUENCIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND IN A VALLEY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT CONDITION, SNOW SHOWERS, AND INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/22/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1825
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CEDAR CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84720
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 11
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1820 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 177
Weather Observation Facility ID CDC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5622
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 845
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 22 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50007
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5108S
NTSB Number SEA93FA025
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7135109
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 8 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JEWETT, GORDON E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2281 KITTYHAWK DR
Aircraft Owner City CEDAR CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84720
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JEWETT, GORDON E.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2281 KITTYHAWK DR
Operator City CEDAR CITY
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84720
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 SGU
Departure City ST. GEORGE
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --