What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed on the rwy under unknown circumstances, wind is a possible factor, Monument Valley, UT. (-23) on final, near threshold, a gust of wind blew the aircraft to the right of the runway. Pilot applied power and initiated go-around. The plan began to climb slowly. Pilot turned across runway and then downwind. The VSI went to negative and remained there. The pilot then initiated a short final for the airport. He hit ground at approximately 30 degree angle to runway. (.4) the pilot was performinga sightseeing flight and was second in a grou p of three to land. At 200 feet AGL, a 'severe gust' turned the a/c 30 to 40 degrees to the right and at a 40 degree bank. The pilot added power to go-around, and the a/c began a slight climb. Due to approaching mountainous terrain, the pilot initiated an early turn to crosswind; however, the a/c only reached an altitude of approx. 200 to 300 AGL while in the traffic pattern. While on final approach for his second attempt to land, the a/c impacted the ground 150 feet to the left of the runway at a heading of approx. 195 degrees with full power and in a nose high attitude. The nose and right main gear were separated from the a/c, and the airplane came to rest on its nose. Approx. one hour after the accident, the wind blew the a/c onto its back. According to a representative of scenic airlines, inc., the pilot's date of hire was April 24, 1998, and he was employed with the company for less than a month prior to the accident. In addition, the pilot was from California and was new to the geographic area. Density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be 7,854 feet.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED ON THE RWY UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, WIND IS A POSSIBLE FACTOR, MONUMENT VALLEY, UT. (-23) ON FINAL, NEAR THRESHOLD, A GUST OF WIND BLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT APPLIED POWER AND INITIATED GO-AROUND. THE PLAN BEGAN TO CLIMB SLOWLY. PILOT TURNED ACROSS RUNWAY AND THEN DOWNWIND. THE VSI WENT TO NEGATIVE AND REMAINED THERE. THE PILOT THEN INITIATED A SHORT FINAL FOR THE AIRPORT. HE HIT GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREE ANGLE TO RUNWAY. (.4) THE PILOT WAS PERFORMINGA SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT AND WAS SECOND IN A GROU P OF THREE TO LAND. AT 200 FEET AGL, A 'SEVERE GUST' TURNED THE A/C 30 TO 40 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AND AT A 40 DEGREE BANK.THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO GO-AROUND, AND THE A/C BEGAN A SLIGHT CLIMB. DUE TO APPROACHING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE PILOT INITIATED AN EARLY TURN TO CROSSWIND; HOWEVER, THE A/C ONLY REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX. 200 TO 300 AGL WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR HIS SECOND ATTEMPT TO LAND, THE A/C IMPACTED THE GROUND 150 FEET TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AT A HEADING OF APPROX. 195 DEGREES WITH FULL POWER AND IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR WERE SEPARATED FROM THE A/C, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE. APPROX. ONE HOUR AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND BLEW THE A/C ONTO ITS BACK. ACCORDING TO A REPRESENTATIVE OF SCENIC AIRLINES, INC., THE PILOT'S DATE OF HIRE WAS APRIL 24, 1998, AND HE WAS EMPLOYED WITH THE COMPANY FOR LESS THAN A MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT WAS FROM CALIFORNIA AND WAS NEW TO THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7,854 FEET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.