Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morman Lake, Arizona
Monday, May 10, 1982 9:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT DEPARTED WINSLOW, AZ ON A FLT TO LONG BEACH, CA WITH AN EN ROUTE STOP SCHEDULED FOR PRESCOT, AZ. BEFORE DEPARTING WINSLOW, THE PLT WAS WARNED BY ANOTHER PLT THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY OF MORMON MTN. THE PLT AND PAX'S REMAINED OVERNIGHT AT WINSLOW. THE NEXT MORNING THE PLT WAS ADVISED BY THE OTHER PLT THAT THE WX CONDS AT MORMON & MINGUS MTNS WERE STILL HAZARDOUS, HE RECOMMENDED THAT THEY FLY A SOUTHERLY ROUTE TOWARD PHOENIX, AZ TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE HIGH TERRAIN. THE PLT TOOK OFF & CONTD WESTBOUND. HE REPORTED THAT AS THEY PASSED OVER MORMON LAKE, THE PLANE BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. REPORTEDLY, HE STARTED TO CIRCLE OVER THE LAKE TO GAIN ALTITUDE, BUT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED (7600' MSL). DURING AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE, NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. A WEIGHT & BALANCE COMPUTATION REVEALED THE GROSS WEIGHT WAS APRX 2474 LBS. THE MAX AUTHORIZE GROSS WEIGHT WAS 2300 LBS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MORMAN LAKE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID PHX
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 200
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 59
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3377
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N78810
NTSB Number LAX82FA167
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17257776
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 1714
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THAYER H. HARVEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 225 SEAL BEACH BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City SEAL BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90740
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THAYER H. HARVEY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 225 SEAL BEACH BLVD.
Operator City SEAL BEACH
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90740
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 INW
Departure City WINSLOW
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LGB
Destination City LONG BEACH
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
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 --