Monticello Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monticello, Utah 84535
Friday, August 8, 2008 7:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was maneuvering the airplane at a low altitude over a sparsely populated area with the intention of looking for wildlife. Several witnesses located near the accident site reported observing the accident airplane flying around the vicinity of the accident site at a low altitude. One witness reported that he observed an airplane circling in the vicinity of the accident site with the wings "completely up and down" followed by the airplane leveling off at an "extremely low altitude" before he lost sight of the airplane below the horizon. Wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with the airplane impacting terrain within an open plowed field in a right wing low attitude. The wreckage debris path was about 190 feet. All major components of the airplane were located within the debris path. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Monticello
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84535
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 375703N
Event Location Longitude 1091908W
Event Location Airport Monticello Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID U43
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1.3
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6998
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 555 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID K4BL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 24383
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
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 N2190X
NTSB Number SEA08FA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7990367
Certified Max Gross Weight 2549
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31.5
Airframe Hours 13158.5
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lyle Northern Electric Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 61 W 300 N
Aircraft Owner City Blanding
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84511
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Eric L. Johnson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Blanding
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84511
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 KBDG
Departure City Blanding
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 630
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 23 2008 3:01PM
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 --