- Date
- June 25, 1983, 10:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Cortez, CO
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5413XCessna U206
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830625026949A
- Case key
- 15994
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt filed a company VFR flt plan & took off at aprx 0930 MDT on a return flt to farmington, NM. According to a surviving passenger, after departing blanding, the acft entered low clouds. Reportedly, the plt flew in the clouds for a period of time until he found an open spot, then descended below the clouds. The passenger stated that the plt continued the flt 'going back & forth, up & down... Canyons.' He stated the plt 'started back up in the fog & I thought he knew where he was going.' He reported that a few minutes after entering the fog, the acft crashed. A search was initiated after the acft was reported overdue. It was found at aprx 1517 where it crashed & burned on sleeping ute mountain at the 7800 ft level. An exam of the wreckage revealed the acft impacted rising terrain in a nose high attitude. No preimpact, mechanical failure/malfunction was reported. The plt was instrument rated, but was certified for VFR flt only for operations under part 135 of the far's.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5413X
- Reported as
- Cessna U206
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20605729
- Airframe hours
- 2,342
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Four Corners Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 6, 1983 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- BDG · Blanding, UT
- Destination
- FMN · Farnington, NM
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 882 total · 76 in this make and model · 735 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.