# NTSB DEN81FA028: Cessna 172, N19831, Tropic, UT, April 18, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: April 18, 1981
- Place: Tropic, UT · TROPIC, UT
- Location: 37.6331° N, 112.0880° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Tropic, UT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6331&lon=-112.0880&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 24, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126047
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN81FA028
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN81FA028

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1040  81/4/18  NR.TROPIC,UT          CESSNA 172          CR-  1  0  0  MISCELLANEOUS             PRIVATE, AGE 53, 405
        TIME - 1122                    N19831              PX-  1  0  0  SEARCH AND RESCUE         TOTAL HOURS, 403 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          PAGE,AZ                     TONAPAH,NV
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST/LOWER SCATTERED                                 UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                      RAIN, RAIN SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 4/22/81.PLT TOLD BY FSS SPEC VFR NOT REC,MTN TOPS OBSCURED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N19831](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N19831-2015-05-18), registration cancelled 2015-05-18, S/N 17260790, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19810418018299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810418018299A), Apr 18, 1981: Cessna 172L, Tropic, UT, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Flew into side of a mountain. Low clouds and rain in area. VFR pilot was advised VFR not recommended.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.