Aviation Crash Map

American AA-5B N4520V

21 March 1983 · Heber City, Utah, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 21 March 1983 at about 14:38 local time, a American AA-5B registered N4520V, operated by Mercury Aircourier Service, was involved in an accident near Heber City, Utah, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

The record

Date
at 14:38
Classification
Accident
Location
Heber City, Utah, United States
Coordinates
40.4305, -111.1902
Aircraft
American AA-5B
Registration
N4520V
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Mercury Aircourier Service
Operating rule
Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Heber City → Duschesne
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
DEN83LA082

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER TAKING OFF AT HEBER CITY, UT, THE PLT TURNED TO A 090 DEG HEADING & BEGAN A CLIMB WITH FULL THROTTLE, MIXTURE FULL RICH, 80 TO 90 KIAS & APRX 500 FPM RATE OF CLIMB. AT APRX 6500 FT MSL, HE ALTERED THE COURSE TO 110 TO 115 DEG TO PROVIDE BETTER TERRAIN CLEARANCE, OVER A SLIGHT VALLEY FORMED BY CREEK DRAINAGE. AT THAT POINT, THE CLEARANCE WAS REPORTEDLY ABOUT 1000 FT. AS THE CLIMB CONTINUED, THE PLT NOTICED THAT THE TERRAIN WAS GRADUALLY GETTING CLOSER. AS HE NEARED THE TOP, HE SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THE ACFT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER. A 180 DEG TURN WAS STARTED. HOWEVER, AS A LEFT BANK WAS ESTABLISHED FOR THE TURN, THE ACFT FELT MUSHY & STARTED TO LOSE ALT RAPIDLY. THE PLT ROLLED THE WINGS LEVEL & PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE WHEN GROUND CONTACT WAS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, THE DESCENT CONTINUED & THE ACFT CRASHED ON A TREELESS, SNOW CVRD SLOPE AT 9300 FT. THE PLT SUGGESTED CARBON MONOXIDE MIGHT EXPLAIN HIS INDECISIVENESS, BUT AN EXAM OF THE ENG & EXHAUST SYS REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other American AA-5B accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
24 Oct 1982 American AA-5B
N4555J
3 1/2 Nm Ene Di, Oklahoma, United States WM. Mark McCorkle Fatal 1
9 Oct 1988 American AA-5B
N666GA
Wrightstown, New Jersey, United States
no coordinates
Waldo S.steen Serious injuries -

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
6 Jul 1983 Cessna 182C
N8935T
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States - Minor injuries -
7 Jul 1983 Cessna 150
N19348
Heber City, Utah, United States - Minor injuries -
10 Jul 1983 Cessna 188B
N4886R
Hooper, Utah, United States Amsel Corporation Minor injuries -
22 Jul 1983 Cessna U206E
N9403G
Bryce Canyon, Utah, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
4 Aug 1983 Helio COURIER H-295
N6484V
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States - No injuries -
13 Aug 1983 Piper PA-28RT-201T
N29649
Vernal, Utah, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States