Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hatch, Utah 84735
Tuesady, January 18, 2005 16:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Data tracking extracted from the GPS found in the wreckage indicated that the aircraft accomplished several maneuvers of "race track" like turns to "360 degree" turns over the pilot's property at varying altitudes to below 500 feet above ground level and low airspeeds. The surviving passenger stated that the pilot and the front seat passenger were engaged in conversation discussing the property that they were maneuvering over, and felt that the pilot was distracted by the conversation, which was his first priority, and second was commanding the aircraft. On site documentation of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft collided with the flat open terrain in a nose down and left wing low attitude with the landing gear extended and the flaps extended to about 30 degrees. Post accident inspection of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering. Inadequate airspeed, the pilot's diverted attention, and low altitude flight were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/2005
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Hatch
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84735
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 373509N
Event Location Longitude 1122600W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 67
Weather Observation Facility ID BCE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7586
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.48
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 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18368
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jan 18 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1840
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 Salt Lake City, Utah

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49J
NTSB Number SEA05FA037
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aero Commander
Aircraft Model AC200D (Meyers)
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 352
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Feb 13 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 222
Airframe Hours 3678
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name George A. Gautier
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hatch
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84735
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 PVU
Departure City Provo
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1449
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVU
Destination City Provo
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 22 2005 7:19PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --