Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grantsville, Utah 84029
Wednesday, September 6, 1989 18:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & PASSENGER TOOK OFF ON A LOCAL FLT AT 1801 MDT. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT RETURN, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE ACFT WAS FOUND THE NEXT MORNING WHERE IT HAD CRASHED & BURNED ON THE SIDE OF A BOX CANYON. ENTRANCE TO THE CANYON WAS FROM THE SOUTHEAST. THE ACFT CRASHED ON STEEP TERRAIN ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CANYON. IMPACT WAS ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. IMPACT MARKS (FRAGMENTED & GOUGED ROCKS) WERE FOUND ABOUT 50 FT UPSLOPE FROM WHERE THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST. MUCH OF THE WRECKAGE WAS DEMOLISHED BY FIRE. AN EXAM OF THE RGT WING REVEALED CHORDWISE CRUSHING OF ITS LOWER SKIN. BOTH PROP BLADES WERE BENT & TWISTED; THE TIPS OF BOTH PROPS WERE TORN OFF. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 7000 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, BY ENTERING A BOX CANYON WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ASSURE A SAFE EXIT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: BOX CANYON, RISING TERRAIN, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GRANTSVILLE
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84029
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1754 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SLC
Elevation of weather observation facility 4227
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7000
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1078
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39355
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7835P
NTSB Number DEN89FA208
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-180
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3055
Certified Max Gross Weight 2210
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 Sep 2 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 4187
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CALVIN, JOE B
Aircraft Owner Street Address 192 REDBUD ESTATES
Aircraft Owner City MANHATTAN
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CALVIN, JOE B.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 192 REDBUD ESTATES
Operator City MANHATTAN
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 66502
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 UT29
Departure City TOOELE
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1801
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --