Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lusk, Wyoming 82225
Friday, December 15, 2000 17:50 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated private pilot did not obtain a weather briefing for the dark night cross-country flight through an area where low ceilings and visibilities were becoming widespread. Air route traffic control center (ARTCC) radar data showed the airplane climbing to 8,000 feet msl toward its destination. Approximately 35 minutes after takeoff, the radar data showed the airplane began to maneuver and descend to 5,900 feet. Approximately 60 minutes after takeoff, the airplane maneuvered to within 3-4 miles of an airport. The last two radar hits showed the airplane making a right turn to the north. The last radar hit was 75 minutes after takeoff, at an altitude of 5,700 feet msl (about 700 feet agl). The airplane impacted rolling terrain at an elevation of 5,100 feet msl about 8.43 nautical miles east-northeast of the airport, which it had been maneuvering near. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activated and the local authorities were notified. The airplane wreckage was located the following morning. According to the local sheriff, the weather in the area was blizzard conditions, making it hard even for surface vehicles to maneuver. The wind was gusting to 65 mph, visibility was down to about 1,000 feet, and the ceiling was "very low." No anomalies were found with the airframe or engine that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot's toxicological tests were positive for tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (marihuana).
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his subsequent failure to maintain terrain clearance, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing, low ceilings, snow, high winds, and dark night light conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/15/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1750 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | LUSK |
| Event State | WYOMING |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 82225 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 424706N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1041302W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 87 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CDR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3297 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 57 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.75 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.66 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12281 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA, NW OPERATIONS CENTER |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 15 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2151 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 20 2002 10:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4223F |
| NTSB Number | DEN01FA028 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17246123 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 18 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 4439.1 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ernest S. Krebs |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1946 Sweet Briar St. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rapid City |
| Aircraft Owner State | SD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 57703 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | CPR |
| Departure City | Casper |
| Departure State | WY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1628 |
| Departure Time Zone | TL |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RAP |
| Destination City | Rapid City |
| Destination State | SD |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2002 12:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |