Cessna 172R N389ES

Summary

On 30 May 2008 at about 16:45 local time, a Cessna 172R registered N389ES, operated by Redtail Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Monticello, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 May 2008 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Monticello, Utah, United States

Coordinates

38.1044, -109.8631

Aircraft

Cessna 172R

Registration

N389ES

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Redtail Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Moab → Moab

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA08FA146

2 people died.

The in-flight collision with mountainous terrain for undetermined reasons. *This report was modified on December 10, 2009.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The sightseeing flight departed with one passenger on a 2-hour tour, landed at an auxiliary airstrip an hour into the flight for a short break, then departed and continued the tour. After departing the auxiliary strip, another company tour pilot in the area reported conversing with the accident pilot. The company pilot subsequently asked the accident pilot a question, to which the accident pilot did not respond. There were no further communications with the accident pilot. A lone hiker in the area reported observing the airplane fly from her left to her right in a right bank and below the rim of a canyon before it went out of sight. The airplane reappeared about a minute later, this time flying from her right to her left and still below the rim of the canyon, but lower and in a steep bank before it again went out of sight. The hiker subsequently came upon the airplane wreckage and reported its position to local authorities. The airplane was located in a confined canyon about 38 miles southwest of the destination airport. Wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with the airplane having impacted terrain in a nose low, right wing down attitude before impacting two trees. Propeller signatures were consistent with rotational forces being applied to the crankshaft at the time of impact. There was no postcrash fire. All flight control components were accounted for at the accident site. Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical anomalies. No conclusive evidence was found that could determine the cause of the accident. *This report was modified on December 10, 2009.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.