Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Green River, Wyoming 82935
Thursday, April 12, 2012 17:30 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated pilot departed in the high-performance multiengine airplane on a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. Mixed rain and snow showers were reported in the area, and lightning flash data and surface observations indicate vigorous snow shower activity around the time and location of the accident. Recorded radar returns believed to be associated with the accident airplane showed a radar track on a westerly heading at cruise altitudes between 10,000 and 12,000 feet mean sea level. The radar track then depicted a descending 720-degree turn over the course of several miles. Following the turn, the radar track showed multiple heading and altitude changes over the course of about 2 minutes. The last observed radar return was about 0.4 mile from the accident location. The wreckage debris was scattered over an area about 0.4 mile in length. Pieces of the cockpit and a section of the right elevator were located at the southeast perimeter of the debris field; the fuselage and both engines located at the opposite, northwest, end of the debris field. Sections of the wings, flight control surfaces and horizontal stabilizer were also scattered between the beginning of the debris field and the main wreckage. Examination of the wing and horizontal stabilizer spars fracture surfaces showed features consistent with overstress separation in-flight and no evidence of fatigue was noted. Given the radar track, the length of the wreckage debris field, and the marginal weather conditions, it is likely that the break-up sequence was inadvertently induced as the pilot attempted to maneuver the airplane out of marginal weather conditions, which ultimately led to an exceedence of the design stress limits of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in marginal weather conditions, which resulted in an exceedence of the design stress limits of the airplane and a subsequent in-flight structural failure.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/12/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1730 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Green River |
| Event State | WYOMING |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 82935 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 412010N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1094917W |
| 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 | 1707 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KRKS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6765 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 37 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.8 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | SPECI KRKS 122307Z AUTO 28008KT 10SM FEW002 BKN055 |
| 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) | 33119 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC Seattle |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 19 2014 12:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N32EG |
| NTSB Number | WPR12FA164 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 320D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 320D0009 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 1 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4627 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FLYING HIGH INVESTMENTS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WINNEMUCCA |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89445-8946 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Cranfill High |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WINNEMUCCA |
| Operator State | NV |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 89445-8946 |
| 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 | KSNY |
| Departure City | Sidney |
| Departure State | NE |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KWMC |
| Destination City | Winnemucca |
| Destination State | NV |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 19 2014 12:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| 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 | -- |