Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Young, Arizona 85554
Friday, March 22, 1991 8:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS WAS A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION WERE VFR. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE FORECASTED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. A SNOW STORM WAS REPORTED BY WITNESSES IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED TO BE ICING AND TURBULENCE, WITH MOUNTAINS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED OVERDUE AND LOCATED 3 WEEKS LATER. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND TO HAVE IMPACTED SNOW COVERED TERRAIN, AT HIGH SPEED, IN A NEAR VERTICAL, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE RESULTING IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/22/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City YOUNG
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85554
Event Date Year 1991
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 746 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 267
Weather Observation Facility ID 0E4
Elevation of weather observation facility 5156
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 767
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44830
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3458U
NTSB Number LAX91FA173
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 182F
Aircraft Series Identifier 182F
Aircraft Serial Number 18254858
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1990 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 R.SEGERMAN B.PHILLIPS L.MALLOW
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6802 N. 33RD AVE.
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85017
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ARIZONA AIR ENTEPRIZES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6802 N. 33RD AVE.
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85017
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 DVT
Departure City PHOENIX
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SOW
Destination City SHOWLOW
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 10:35AM
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 --