Sedona Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sedona, Arizona 86336
Thursday, March 24, 1983 9:20 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING PREFLT BRIEFINGS, THE PLT WAS BRIEFED TO EXPECT DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS WITH ASSOCIATED FLT PRECAUTIONS FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT, ICING & MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE WX BRIEFINGS WERE COMPLETE, EXCEPT DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE CIRCUIT, THE 0654 PRESCOTT & THE 0530 TO 0851 FLAGSTAFF OBSERVATIONS WERE NOT TRANSMITTED. WHILE ENROUTE, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO THE EASTERN FACE OF A MOUNTAIN, APPRX 9 MINORTHWEST OF THE SEDONA ARPT AT APRX 6000 FT MSL. THE ARPT MANAGER AT SEDONA ESTIMATED A 500 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 5 MI WITH INTERMITTENT RAIN & SNOW SHOWERS. THE SEDONA ARPT WAS 1300 FT BELOW THE ACCIDENT SITE. ACCORDING TO AN NTSB WX STUDY, THE CLOUD BASES WERE AT 5000 TO 6000 FT MSL, CLOUD TOPS AT 11,000 FT, HIGHER CLOUD LAYERS ABOVE, FLT VISIBILITY 0 MI IN CLOUDS, MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW 10,000 FT, SNOW & RAIN, FREEZING LEVEL 7000 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SEDONA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86336
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SEDONA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SEZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 9
Degrees magnetic from airport 295
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 4486
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3261
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23748
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3863U
NTSB Number LAX83FA166
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36TC
Aircraft Series Identifier A36TC
Aircraft Serial Number EA-219
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 9 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 175
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER W. TAYLOR, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2192 DUPONT
Aircraft Owner City IRVINE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92715
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 LHU
Departure City LAKE HAVASU
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 823
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABQ
Destination City ALBUQUERQUE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
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 --