Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Spanish Fork-Springville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Salem, Utah 84653
Sunday, November 24, 2002 18:20 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 450-hour non-instrument rated private pilot collided with a mountain during a cross country flight in instrument meteorological conditions. Prior to departure, the pilot received a weather briefing from a flight service station and was advised that visual flight was not recommended. The pilot elected to depart and received another weather briefing while en route. The pilot was again advised that visual flight was not recommended due to mountain obscuration and icing. Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes into the flight, several witnesses heard the airplane (with the engine running) flying low toward a mountain followed by the sound of an explosion. One witness reported that it was snowing and the visibility was approximately 150 feet. Another witness reported the weather as a mixture of rain, sleet, and snow falling at the time of the accident. The airplane collided with mountainous terrain approximately 10 miles southwest of the destination airport at an elevation of 5,273 feet. Examination of the airplane revealed the landing gear was extended and the flaps were retracted. No mechanical deficiencies were noted with the airplane or the engine. The pilot, who was reported to be a physician, tested positive for several prescription narcotic painkillers, an over-the-counter pain releiver/fever reducer, and two over-the-counter antihistamines.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate inflight planning/decision to continue flight from visual to instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from terrain while in cruise flight. A low ceiling, obscuration, mountainous terrain and impairing drugs in the pilot's system were factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/24/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1820 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Salem |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84653 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400259N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1113729W |
| Event Location Airport | Spanish Fork-Springville |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | U77 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 4529 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1835 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PVU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4497 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2700 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 25 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 30 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 22035 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 24 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2015 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 30 2007 12:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Salt Lake City, Utah |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N367T |
| NTSB Number | FTW03FA048 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | A36 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3-1154 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Oct 1 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3775 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Bayne Lynn Hirsche |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4157 Imperial Way |
| Aircraft Owner City | Provo |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84604 |
| 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 | SGU |
| Departure City | St. George |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1709 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | U77 |
| Destination City | Spanish Fork |
| Destination State | UT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Unknown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 26 2007 12:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |