Piper PA-38-112 N23371

Summary

On 4 January 1998 at about 02:13 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N23371, operated by U.s. Aviation, was involved in an accident near Tremonton, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 January 1998 at 02:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Tremonton, Utah, United States

Coordinates

41.6895, -112.2704

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N23371

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

U.s. Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Caldwell → Ogden

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW98FA086

1 person died.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, becoming spatially disoriented and his subsequent loss of aircraft control. Factors were the dark night and weather conditions that included obscuration and snow.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated private pilot, a foreign national, embarked on a solo cross-country flight to fulfill the experience requirements required for commercial pilot certification. FSS advised the pilot that VFR flight was not recommended. The pilot filed a VFR flight plan and departed Ogden, Utah. He arrived in Caldwell, Idaho, refueled, and obtained another FSS weather briefing. Again, he was advised that VFR flight was not recommended. He filed a VFR flight plan and departed Caldwell en route back to Ogden. Radar data indicated that the pilot did not track the airway to Malad City, Idaho, but instead followed a highway to the vicinity of Tremonton, Utah. There, it was seen to maneuver in a 'primary weather cell.' The wreckage was located 3 days later within 0.1 mile of the last radar contact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.