N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yucca, Arizona 86438
Thursday, October 18, 2012 12:12 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Before takeoff on the first flight following an annual inspection, a witness talked with the pilot about the work just completed and accompanied the pilot to the airplane. He observed the pilot check the fuel level and said the pilot indicated that there was adequate fuel on board for the flight to his home airport. The pilot then boarded the airplane and taxied for takeoff. A GPS track of the flight indicated that the airplane took off to the northwest, then turned north-northeast then northeast and began to follow an interstate on a relatively straight flight path; the airplane then began a gradual descent before colliding with terrain. On-site examination indicated that the airplane impacted the terrain in a level, upright attitude. It could not be determined why the pilot did not take corrective action to avoid terrain. On-site and a follow-up examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The county medical examiner performed a visual examination only of the pilot. Based on the limited information available, there is no evidence to suggest a medical condition contributed to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to take corrective action to avoid terrain during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1212
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Yucca
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86438
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344801N
Event Location Longitude 1140943W
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 1151 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 7
Weather Observation Facility ID KIGM
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
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) 33382
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 Oct 22 2014 8:24AM
User who most recently changed record plah
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20939
NTSB Number WPR13FA017
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18261309
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 5454
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN E SABLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FORT MOHAVE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86426-9279
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name JOHN E SABLE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City FORT MOHAVE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 86426-9279
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 --
Departure City Lake Havasu
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Fort Mohave
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2014 8:24AM
User who most recently changed record plah
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --