Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kamas, Utah 84036
Saturday, August 12, 2000 20:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The surviving passenger, a hunter, hired the pilot to fly him around a wilderness area because he wanted to 'learn the country and spot animals' before the hunting season started. The pilot told the passenger he had never flown over the wilderness area before. The passenger said the airplane performed normally throughout the flight. He said they were 'not low' as they turned up a valley and started climbing towards rising terrain, but a nearby camper reported seeing an airplane fly up the valley at a low altitude shortly before the estimated time of the accident. As the airplane approached the summit, it struck trees, nosed into the ground, and rolled inverted. According to the airplane operator, the pilot had taken the airplane without their permission.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper inflight decision to enter a valley at low altitude and attempt a climb towards rising terrain. A factor was exceeding the airplane's climb performance.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2020
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City KAMAS
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84036
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
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 Not pertinent
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 273
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 250
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N734UD
NTSB Number DEN00FA149
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17269117
Certified Max Gross Weight 2220
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 Mar 23 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 111
Airframe Hours 4443
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAL B. YOUNG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1185 BOUNTIFUL HILLS DR.
Aircraft Owner City BOUNTIFUL
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84087
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2561 S. 1560 W.
Operator City WOODS CROSS
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84087
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 BTF
Departure City BOUNTIFUL
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:54AM
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 --