Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Milford, Utah 84050
Saturday, February 26, 2011 17:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot, who was not instrument rated, intended to fly to his destination while remaining in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). While en route, he entered an area where the clouds started to close in on him. Although the air traffic controller whom he was communicating with advised the pilot that there was an airport with VMC a short distance behind him, the pilot elected to attempt to proceed to his destination. As he continued, weather conditions became such that the pilot elected to land at an alternate airport. While being vectored to the alternate airport, the airplane's engine began to run rough, which, according to recorded engine analyzer data, was due to a restriction of the fuel flow in the orifice of the no. 1 cylinder injector nozzle. While attempting to deal with the rough running engine and maneuvering toward the alternate airport, the pilot inadvertently entered the clouds, and most likely lost control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation. The airplane then descended near vertically into the terrain. There was no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing either from an FAA-contracted Flight Service Station or from either Direct User Access Terminal Service (DUATS) provider.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation after inadvertently entering instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation, his en route decision-making, and his distraction due to a partial loss of engine power due to a restriction in a fuel injection nozzle.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Milford
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84050
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 382627N
Event Location Longitude 1130713W
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 1706 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID KMLF
Elevation of weather observation facility 5040
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.52
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29737
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 4 2012 1:36PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N989TT
NTSB Number WPR11FA147
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 Neefjes
Aircraft Model Lancair 360 MK-II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 728320571FB
Certified Max Gross Weight 1790
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jul 20 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 185
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name MNCERRITOS LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ROLLING HILLS ESTATES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90274
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Allen E. Layton
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Rolling Hills Estates
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 90274
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 KGJT
Departure City Grand Junction
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1550
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KCHD
Destination City Chandler
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 23 2012 6:31PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --