# NTSB DEN72AD024: Cessna 172, N6151E, Opal, WY, October 29, 1971

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 29, 1971
- Place: Opal, WY · OPAL, WY
- Location: 41.7679° N, 110.3244° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Opal, WY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7679&lon=-110.3244&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report April 14, 1972
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 163393
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN72AD024
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN72AD024

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3316  71/10/29   OPAL,WYO            CESSNA 172          CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 44, 2000
        TIME - 1100                    N6151E              PX-  2  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          THERMOPOLIS,WYO             FARMINGTON,N MEX
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - FOG
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          PARTIAL OBSCURATION                                      UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          FOG                                                      VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- PLT HAD WAITED 2 DAYS DUE WEA.WAS ADVSD BY FSS AND ANOTHER PLT OF ADVERSE WEA ENRT. RCVRD 11/2/71.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N6151E (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

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

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