What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 25, 1999, at 1715 mountain daylight time, impact and postimpact fire destroyed a Cessna 172, N9103B, when it collided with terrain during an emergency landing after encountering heavy downdrafts following takeoff from Panguitch, Utah. The private pilot and her two passengers were not injured. The flight was operating under title 14 CFR part 91 and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this cross-country flight to cedar city, Utah. The flight originated from Panguitch. According to the pilot, she was doing a circular climb to get over terrain and a downdraft caused the aircraft to enter a descent. She said she attempted to land in a field but, during the landing roll, the nose wheel struck a rock and broke off. The aircraft then nosed over caught fire. (-23)aircraft departed Panguitch (U55), Utah for beaver (U52), Utah. Approximately 16 miles norhtwesr of Panguitch the flight encountered heavy downdrafts. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and elected to land in a field. During the landing roll the aircraft nosed over inverted and caught fire. The aircraft was destroyed. The pilot and two passengers escaped w ithout injury.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1999, AT 1715 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, IMPACT AND POSTIMPACT FIRE DESTROYED A CESSNA 172, N9103B, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER ENCOUNTERING HEAVY DOWNDRAFTS FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM PANGUITCH, UTAH. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HER TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THIS CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO CEDAR CITY, UTAH. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM PANGUITCH. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHE WAS DOING A CIRCULAR CLIMB TO GET OVER TERRAIN AND A DOWNDRAFT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ENTER A DESCENT. SHE SAID SHE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD BUT, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK A ROCK AND BROKE OFF. THE AIRCRAFT THEN NOSED OVER CAUGHT FIRE. (-23)AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PANGUITCH (U55), UTAH FOR BEAVER (U52), UTAH. APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES NORHTWESR OF PANGUITCH THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED HEAVY DOWNDRAFTS. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER INVERTED AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ESCAPED W ITHOUT INJURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.