Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Provo, Utah 84603
Thursday, November 9, 1989 13:47 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLTS OF CESSNA 310, N145Y, AND BEECH J35 (BONANZA), N4258B, PREPLANNED A FLT FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A VIDEO WHILE FLYING AS A FLT OF 2 ACFT. DRG FLT, THE BONANZA PLT ASSUMED A LEAD POSITION WITH THE CESSNA IN A LOOSE ECHELON FORMATION. THEY PROCEEDED OVER UTAH LAKE AT LOW ALT. THE WIND WAS LIGHT & THE WATER IN THE LAKE WAS CALM. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHILE FLYING AT LOW ALT OVER THE LAKE, THE CESSNA HIT THE WATER. THE VIDEO FILM SHOWED THAT JUST PRIOR TO WATER IMPACT, THE BONANZA WAS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CESSNA & SLIGHTLY HIGHER. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE CESSNA SANK IN 12 FT OF WATER. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE CESSNA SUFFERED BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH IMPACT; HOWEVER, THE MED EXAMINER RPRTD THEIR DEATHS WERE DUE TO DROWNING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CESSNA PILOT MISJUDGE HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE THE WATER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT ALLOWING HIS ATTENTION TO BE DIVERTED AND HIS LACK OF VISUAL/DEPTH PERCEPTION OVER THE CALM (GLASSY) WATER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1347
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PROVO
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84603
Event Date Year 1989
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1351 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID PVU
Elevation of weather observation facility 4490
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5300
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) 1050
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39256
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N145Y
NTSB Number DEN90FA021
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 310I
Aircraft Series Identifier 310I
Aircraft Serial Number 310I0026
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TROJAN, ROBERT W
Aircraft Owner Street Address 777 SUNBURST LANE
Aircraft Owner City ALPINE
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84004
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TROJAN, ROBERT W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 777 SUNBURST LANE
Operator City ALPINE
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84020
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 SLC
Departure City SALT LAKE CITY
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1303
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVU
Destination City PROVO
Destination State UT
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 --