Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Nephi Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Nephi, Utah 84648
Thursday, August 30, 2012 16:15 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses observed the airplane operating in the airport traffic pattern. As the airplane turned from a crosswind to a downwind leg, witnesses estimated that the airplane was about 150 feet above ground level at a slow speed when it suddenly pitched downward and descended into the ground. Witnesses further stated that at the time of the accident, thunderstorms with strong wind, heavy rain, and lightning were arriving in the area.
A regional radar mosaic for about the time of the accident depicted several scattered weather echoes with one defined cell of moderate-to-strong intensity just over the accident site. Archived lightning data for the time revealed seven in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning flashes within a 50-mile radius of the accident site; however, no cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were detected within 15 miles. The detection of lightning confirmed the presence of a cumulonimbus cloud in the area.
Wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with a right-wing-low and nose-low impact. Postaccident examination of the airframe, flight control system, and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the witness observations and recorded weather data, it is likely that, as a result of the approaching thunderstorm, the airplane encountered a microburst or downdraft that exceeded the airplane's climb performance and resulted in a loss of airplane control.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inability to maintain airplane control due to an encounter with a microburst/downdraft that exceeded the climb performance capabilities of the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/30/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1615 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Nephi |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84648 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394411N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1115212W |
| Event Location Airport | Nephi Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | U14 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5022 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1559 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 10 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PVU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4497 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 30 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 15 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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) | 31206 |
| 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 18 2013 5:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N651AM |
| NTSB Number | WPR12FA378 |
| 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 | AIRCRAFT MFG & DEVELOPMENT CO |
| Aircraft Model | CH 2000 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 20-1021 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1692 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 17 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 244 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Peter Mrowiec and Li Yu |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Thunder Bay |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Peter Mrowiec |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Thunder Bay |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | CA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PVU |
| Departure City | Provo |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| 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 | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 18 2013 5:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |