Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Junction Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Circleville, Utah 84515
Monday, June 7, 2004 10:35 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was applying pesticide to a 100-acre alfalfa field. He said the winds were from the southwest at approximately 7 knots. He had completed the north end of the field while flying in a "racetrack" pattern from west to east. Because of the rising terrain to the east of the field, he decided to complete the pesticide application while flying in both directions. During a "right standard reversal turn," the airplane encountered "extreme turbulence" which caused the airplane to roll to the right. The pilot stated that he added full power and pointed the nose down to regain control. Although the pilot was able to get the wings level, the buffeting and turbulence was so "severe" that the airplane did not respond and continued to "sink rapidly." As the pilot attempted to release the remaining pesticide, the airplane's lower left wing struck the rough and uneven terrain and the airplane cartwheeled. The airplane was destroyed by a postimpact fire.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the encounter with severe turbulence during aerial application and the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control resulting in the in-flight collision with terrain. A contributing factor was the low altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/7/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1035 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Circleville |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84515 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Junction |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | U13 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 180 |
| Airport Elevation | 6069 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KBCE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 7586 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 33 |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 21 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 10728 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16500 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Ctr |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 7 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1112 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 28 2004 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Salt Lake City FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8805D |
| NTSB Number | DEN04LA086 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Eagle |
| Aircraft Model | DW-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | DW-1-0034-81 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5400 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 90 |
| Airframe Hours | 2713 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Michael R. Thornton |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 186 N 300 East |
| Aircraft Owner City | Parowan |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84761 |
| 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) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | U13 |
| Departure City | Junction |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | U13 |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - aerial application |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 8 2004 11:48AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | -- |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |