# NTSB DEN99LA018: Piper PA28-181, N3034B, Tooele, UT, October 29, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 29, 1998, 13:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Tooele, UT - Coordinates: 40.570903, -112.32917 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5709&lon=-112.3292&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report January 28, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45198 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45198/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA018 ## Probable cause The pilot's VFR flight into IMC and his failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance. Contributng factors were fog, low ceilings, high terrain, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic environment and his misinterpretation of terrain features on the aeronautical chart. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise - normal - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise - normal - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor) - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of familiarity with geographic area, pilot in command (contributing factor) - en route charts - other - information - misjudged, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis While on a cross-country VFR flight, the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions while he was attempting to stay below the clouds, approximately 10 miles short of his destination. He said he misjudged the rapidly forming fog conditions, misread his map regarding terrain elevation, and did not think the terrain elevation was as high as it was in the area where the accident occurred. He then inadvertently flew into the ground in cruise flight at an elevation of 6,200 feet above mean sea level. The pilot also stated that this was his first experience in the mountains and that he should have turned back when the weather conditions began to deteriorate. . ## Factual narrative On October 29, 1998, at 1350 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N3034B, impacted terrain during cruise flight approximately 10 miles south of Tooele, Utah. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by postimpact fire. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area and no flight plan was filed for this personal cross-country flight which originated from Provo, Utah, at 1330. The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The intended destination was Tooele. According to the pilot, he was attempting to stay below the clouds, which resulted in colliding with terrain, when he inadvertently entered instrument meteorological conditions, in the form of fog, approximately 10 miles short of his destination. Witnesses, who were in the area where the accident occured, said fog was forming rapidly. The aircraft struck terrain at an elevation of 6,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) and the destination airport elevation was 4,316 feet msl. The pilot said he had read and viewed tapes about mountain flying because this was his first experience in the mountains and he misread his map as to the terrain features and misjudged the fog conditions that were developing. He said he did not think the terrain elevation was as high as it was in the area where the accident occurred. In his written statement, the pilot stated he should have turned back when the weather conditions began to deteriorate. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3034B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3034B-1999-03-12), registration cancelled 1999-03-12, S/N 28-7990136 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7990136 - Airframe hours: 2450 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Donald R. Andrews - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 24, 1998, 105 hours before - Departed: PVU, PROVO, UT - Destination: TVY, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 560 total, 555 in this make and model, 505 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 123 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 3 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: T62, 50 nm away ## 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 19981029030899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981029030899A), Oct 29, 1998: Piper PA28181, Tooele, UT, Destroyed. ANM07990005 enroute from pvu to tvy, in low visibility, aircraft contacted terrain at approximately 4700 feet. The pilot stated he had misjudged the terrain… 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.