Beechcraft 35-A33 N1254Z

Summary

On 2 January 2006 at about 19:30 local time, a Beechcraft 35-A33 registered N1254Z was involved in an accident near Heber City, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 January 2006 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Heber City, Utah, United States

Coordinates

40.6603, -111.4578

Aircraft

Beechcraft 35-A33

Registration

N1254Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Billings → Spanish Fork

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA06FA036

1 person died.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into IMC and his subsequent failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing factors were low ceilings, snow, and mountainous terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated commercial pilot was making a cross-country flight in the airplane over mountainous terrain. During a pre-flight weather briefing and during two in-flight weather updates, the pilot was advised by flight service station weather briefers that VFR flight was not recommended along his route of flight. The flight was receiving VFR flight following services, and the air traffic controllers working the flight also twice advised the pilot of deteriorating weather conditions ahead along his route of flight. The pilot responded that if necessary, he would turn around. Radar and radio contact with the airplane were subsequently lost due to the mountainous terrain. Two witnesses located at different points along the intended route of flight observed the airplane flying southbound at an altitude of about 300 feet agl. The first witness, located about 16 miles north of the accident site, reported that the ceiling was about 500 feet, and there was light snow and sleet falling. The second witness, located about 4 miles north of the accident site, reported that "it was snowing hard and there was little visibility." According to local law enforcement personnel, at the time of the accident, the weather conditions in the vicinity of the accident site were "extreme" with visibility "less than 500 feet with heavy snow." Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a right wing low attitude heading northbound, suggesting that the pilot may have been executing a 180 degree turn in an attempt to exit the weather conditions when the impact occurred. Inspection of the engine did not reveal any abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation and production of rated horsepower. Damage to the propeller was consistent with the engine producing power at impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.