Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pinedale, Wyoming 82941
Sunday, May 23, 2004 11:39 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated private pilot had been airborne for approximately 3 hours when he approached the Wind River Range in central Wyoming. Radar data indicated that he descended from 15,500 feet to 14,300 feet (because of weather) to cross the continental divide at Gannett Peak, elevation 13,804 feet,. Radar data indicates that approximately 20 seconds later, the airplane was in an approximate 4,200 feet per minute rate of descent. Satellite imagery and NEXRAD Doppler data suggest that at the pilot's ground track location, the mountain was experiencing light to intermittent snow showers according to the NTSB meteorologist. No endorsements could be found in the pilot's flight logbook to indicate that he had received any mountain flying training. Search and rescue teams found the airplane 3 days later. No evidence of a mechanical failure was found.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the downdraft, the snow shower weather and mountainous terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/23/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1139 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pinedale |
| Event State | WYOMING |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 82941 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 431052N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1093925W |
| 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 | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1156 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 85 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RIW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5525 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 50 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 8500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 24 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.73 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18225 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Ctr |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 25 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1121 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Casper, Wyoming |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N231DL |
| NTSB Number | DEN04FA079 |
| 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 | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-0010 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 21 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3564 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Lashley Auto Sales, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1303 Broadway |
| Aircraft Owner City | Mitchell |
| Aircraft Owner State | NE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 69357 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | S21 |
| Departure City | Sunrise |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 700 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RIW |
| Destination City | Riverton |
| Destination State | WY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 23 2005 3:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| 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 | -- |