# Accident 20160118000449A: Cessna 525, Cedar Fort, UT, January 18, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 18, 2016, 10:00 local time
- Place: Cedar Fort, UT
- Airport: Salt Lake City International A
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.3139° N, 112.0808° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3139&lon=-112.0808&mi=10
- Aircraft: N711BX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N711BX-2018-03-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 525 (registry code 2076601, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-525) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Williams FJ-44 series (registry code 66000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/williams-fj-44-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 525
- Reported engine: WILLIAMS FJ 44 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 3,332 total, 1,585 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR16FA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA054) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160118000449A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 01/18/2016 N117BX TOOK OFF FROM THE SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SLC) HEADED FOR TUCSON, AZ. THERE WERE 2 PEOPLE ONBOARD THE PIC AND 1 PASSENGER. AFTER CLIMB OUT FROM SLC AND PASSING THRU 14600? THE PILOT REPORTED A FAILURE OF THE #1 FMS AND AN AUTO PILOT DE-COUPLE. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED OTHER INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS WERE AVAILABLE. THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PILOT AND ATC DURING THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE MAIN ACCIDENT. AS THE AIRCRAFT IS NEARING CEDAR FORT, UT THE AIRCRAFT FAILS TO RESPOND TO ATC, THE AIRCRAFT HAS CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 21400?. AT THIS POINT RADAR CONTACT IS LOST AND THE TRANSPONDER STOPS TRANSMITTING ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND LATER THE SAME DAY IN AN OPEN SNOW COVERED FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND ALL OCCUPANTS WERE KILLED. AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AT THE SCENE AND YIELDED THE FOLLOWING RESULTS: THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINES WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT THE LEFT HAND ENGINE IS STILL MISSING. THE WING ALONG WITH THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE WERE TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND FOLDED OVER THE MAIN WRECKAGE. ALL MATERIALS AND EDGES OF EXPOSED MATERIAL SHOWED SIGNS OF DUCTILE OVERLOAD FROM TENSION AND TORQUE. THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND APPX ½ MILE TO THE NORTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. PIECES OF THE WINGS BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT WERE SEPARATED AND SECTIONS WERE FOUND APPX 1 MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE RIGHT HAND ENGINE WAS FOUND APPX 250? FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE TO THE WEST. ALL EXPOSED METAL SHOWED SIGNS OF DUCTILE OVERLOAD. THE AFT SECTION OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS BURNED FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THE EXTERNAL SKIN WAS MELTED AWAY. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH A FUEL FIRE IN FLIGHT (OPINION: DUE TO A RUPTURE OF THE FUEL TANK AND SPRAYING THE AFT SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH FUEL THAT WAS IGNITED BY A SPARK OR THE HOT ENGINES). THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS COMPRESSED AND VERY FEW GROUND SCARS LEADING UP TO THE MAIN BODY OF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS REPORT WILL BE ADDED TO IF AND WHEN NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR16FA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA054), Jan 18, 2016: Cessna 525 (N711BX), Cedar Fort, UT, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation while operating in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's design stress limitations, and a…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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