Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moab, Utah 84532
Tuesady, February 15, 1983 22:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED INTO THE TOP OF A MESA AT THE 5500 FT LEVEL (MSL). THE ACFT THEN CARTWHEELED ABOUT 300 FT ON A HEADING OF 360 DEGREES. SHERIFFS DEPUTIES DISCOVERED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THAT THE ACFT WAS LOADED WITH MARIJUANA WEIGHING ABOUT798 LBS. AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA ESTIMATED AT 200 LBS WAS SCATTERED ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH. TWO BODIES WERE RECOVERED AT THE SCENE. NEITHER WAS THE PLT WHO HAD RENTED THE ACFT. THREE DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PLT WHO HAD ORIGINALLY RENTED THE ACFT REPORTED THE ACFT STOLEN. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THERE WAS A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RENTER AND THE DECREASED ACFT OCCUPANTS. THE PILOTS BODY TESTED POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL & DRUGS, WITH AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.066%. PERCENT. THE ACFT WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD THE ROTATING BEACON AT CANYONLANDS ARPT, ELEVATION 4574 FT MSL. THE DENSITYALT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 5359 FT AT THE CRASH SITE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DEPARTURE POINT AND THE DESTINATION OFTHE ACFT WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE RETURNED THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT BY THE ORIGINAL RENTER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/15/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2200
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MOAB
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84532
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 2
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 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 4574
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2146 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 52
Weather Observation Facility ID GJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 4858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 82
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
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) 5359
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) 1793
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22064
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63808
NTSB Number DEN83FA062
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-23F-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23F-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7754132
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 18 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 670
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FOGEL & ASSOCIATES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 373 PARK AVENUE SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10016
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN PIPER AIRCRAFT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BLDG. 4, JEFFCO AIRPORT
Operator City BROOMFIELD
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80020
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --