- Date
- July 1, 2016, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bountiful, UT
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N52071Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160701010289A
- Case key
- 93538
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to fly into a canyon without sufficient room to reverse course if necessary, which resulted in an emergency landing, loss of directional control, collision with terrain, and a post-crash fire.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during an "introductory flight" for two passengers, he departed the airport and flew into a canyon where the airplane encountered an "unforeseen immense downdraft". He further reported that he immediately initiated a right turn to exit the canyon but it became clear that a turn was not possible due to the mountainous terrain. Subsequently, the pilot decided to make an emergency landing on a mountain road. After touchdown the airplane skidded off the dirt road and down an embankment. A post-crash fire resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. As a safety recommendation the pilot reported that he should have given himself more altitude before entering the canyon.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during an "introductory flight" for two passengers, he departed the airport and flew into a canyon where the airplane encountered an "unforeseen immense downdraft". He further reported that he immediately initiated a right turn to exit the canyon but it became clear that a turn was not possible due to the mountainous terrain. Subsequently, the pilot decided to make an emergency landing on a mountain road. After touchdown the airplane skidded off the dirt road and down an embankment. A post-crash fire resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. As a safety recommendation the pilot reported that he should have given himself more altitude before entering the canyon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52071
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274406
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 12,414.8
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 2016
- Departed
- BTF · Bountiful, UT
- Destination
- BTF · Bountiful, UT
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 6, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 475 total · 30 in this make and model · 390 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVU, 14 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N52071 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.