N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lander, Wyoming 82520
Sunday, August 14, 2011 9:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was flying under visual flight rules flight following. Recorded radar data indicated that the airplane maintained a relatively straight track to the southeast at an altitude of between 15,100 feet and 15,500 feet before descending near the area of the accident site. About 1 minute before the last recorded radar target, the pilot checked in with the controller; the airplane’s altitude was 13,200 feet. The last two radar targets indicated a descending right turn. The airplane lost 700 feet in 21 seconds, and the last radar contact was at 12,100 feet. The controller noticed a loss of radar contact and attempted to contact the pilot on the radio but was unable to. The accident site was located at an elevation of 11,400 feet in mountainous terrain about 1 mile west of the last radar contact. The debris field was on a westerly heading at the bottom of a slope and extended for about 580 feet indicating controlled flight into the terrain. It could not be determined why the pilot descended or why he did not maintain sufficient clearance from mountainous terrain. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/14/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Lander
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82520
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 424513N
Event Location Longitude 1090915W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 853 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID KLND
Elevation of weather observation facility 5586
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32490
NTSB Notification Source FAA NWM 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 Feb 2 2014 3:24PM
User who most recently changed record plah
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N324AT
NTSB Number WPR11FA381
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E-3071
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 985
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SMOKEY TRAIL LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FRANKTOWN
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80116
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Robert Dawson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Tucson
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85379
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 DIJ
Departure City Driggs
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Denver
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 2 2014 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record plah
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --