Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eureka, Utah 84628
Friday, June 13, 2003 10:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he was maneuvering over the sand dunes between Eureka and Delta. The temperature was rising and it started getting "bumpy" so he elected to return to Provo. While flying over the mountains west of Eureka, approximately 1000 feet above ground level, his "controls became mush." The airplane began descending rapidly, at which time the pilot "put in full prop[eller] and power, pitch[ing] for 75 kts." It was apparent that the airplane would not clear the rising terrain, so the pilot reversed course towards the "canyon." The pilot stated the airspeed was "right above stall speed." Subsequently, the aircraft collided with the trees. The airplane's empennage was separated from the fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper in-flight planning and failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors include high density altitude, hilly terrain, low airspeed and the subsequent inadvertent stall/mush.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/13/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Eureka
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84628
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395018N
Event Location Longitude 1121802W
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 6574
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID PVU
Elevation of weather observation facility 4497
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) 6457
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14713
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CTR
NTSB Notification Date Jun 13 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2004 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Salt Lake City, UT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N630DA
NTSB Number DEN03LA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Diamond Aircraft Industries
Aircraft Model DA 20-A1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 10300
Certified Max Gross Weight 1609
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 31 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 2316
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Michael A Tevik
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Provo
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84604
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Nathan L. Bennett
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address On File
Operator City Sandy
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84092
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 PVU
Departure City PROVO
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 18 2003 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --