What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 29, 2021, aircraft N1727T a Cessna 172S, operated by privacy data omitted, departed ogden hinkley airport (ogd) at 9:40 am for a discovery flight. The aircraft was being piloted by pilot and flight instructorprivacy data omitted (certificate #privacy data omitted, with a current 1st class medical dated 08/12/2019), with one passenger privacy data omitted. At the time of takeoff, weather was reported to have winds from the southwest at 230 degrees at 6 knots, 10 miles of visibility with an overcast layer of clouds 5,000 feet above the ground.
The flight path took them to the northeast to the privacy data omitted, and up a narrow valley laying in a nne direction with the top at 8,600 feet. At 9:53 am, weather at Eden, Utah, located at the base of the mountain seven miles away reported to have a temperature of 64 degree, winds coming from variable directions at 5 mph with no gusts, and sky conditions fair.
The aircraft was unable to climb to clear the terrain. The aircraft crashed at 10:00 am. The left and right wings struck two trees with an approximate 40 degree left bank angle in a nose high attitude. The aircraft came to rest when after striking the base of large aspen trees (N41.361298 -W111.759616) straight on, and about 50 feet after hitting the trees with the wings with a heading of 355 degrees. The tree strikes compromised the fuel cells spreading fuel over the scene, and resulting in a fire. The aircraft was burned leaving only the left wing and engine with a partial firewall.
First responder reported finding the pilot walking around down by the creek.
When meeting up with him, the pilot reported he had a down draft. The pilot was subsequently airlifter to the hospital where he passed away that evening.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 29, 2021, AIRCRAFT N1727T A CESSNA 172S, OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED OGDEN HINKLEY AIRPORT (OGD) AT 9:40 AM FOR A DISCOVERY FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING PILOTED BY PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (CERTIFICATE #^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WITH A CURRENT 1ST CLASS MEDICAL DATED 08/12/2019), WITH ONE PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF, WEATHER WAS REPORTED TO HAVE WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 230 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS, 10 MILES OF VISIBILITY WITH AN OVERCAST LAYER OF CLOUDS 5,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
THE FLIGHT PATH TOOK THEM TO THE NORTHEAST TO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND UP A NARROW VALLEY LAYING IN A NNE DIRECTION WITH THE TOP AT 8,600 FEET. AT 9:53 AM, WEATHER AT EDEN, UTAH, LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN SEVEN MILES AWAY REPORTED TO HAVE A TEMPERATURE OF 64 DEGREE, WINDS COMING FROM VARIABLE DIRECTIONS AT 5 MPH WITH NO GUSTS, AND SKY CONDITIONS FAIR.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT 10:00 AM. THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS STRUCK TWO TREES WITH AN APPROXIMATE 40 DEGREE LEFT BANK ANGLE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WHEN AFTER STRIKING THE BASE OF LARGE ASPEN TREES (N41.361298 -W111.759616) STRAIGHT ON, AND ABOUT 50 FEET AFTER HITTING THE TREES WITH THE WINGS WITH A HEADING OF 355 DEGREES. THE TREE STRIKES COMPROMISED THE FUEL CELLS SPREADING FUEL OVER THE SCENE, AND RESULTING IN A FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BURNED LEAVING ONLY THE LEFT WING AND ENGINE WITH A PARTIAL FIREWALL.
FIRST RESPONDER REPORTED FINDING THE PILOT WALKING AROUND DOWN BY THE CREEK.
WHEN MEETING UP WITH HIM, THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD A DOWN DRAFT. THE PILOT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY AIRLIFTER TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE PASSED AWAY THAT EVENING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.