- Date
- January 17, 2017, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Vernon, UT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N20361Air Tractor AT 802
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170117000769A
- Case key
- 94627
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 failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain.
Findings · 3
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he attempted to transition a mountain ridge after he had completed an aerial application. He added that he began to climb to a safe altitude in rising terrain but realized that it was going to be "close to clear" the mountain top. He attempted to turn to the left but noted that the terrain would not allow him to do so. He continued straight ahead and impacted the mountain top about 10 ft from the crest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he attempted to transition a mountain ridge after he had completed an aerial application. He added that he began to climb to a safe altitude in rising terrain, but realized that it was going to be "close to clear" the mountain top. He attempted to turn to the left, but noted that the terrain would not allow him to do so. He continued straight and impacted the mountain top about ten feet from the crest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20361
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 802 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0420
- Built
- 2011
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AG, 1,295 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2016
- Departed
- U14 · Nephi, UT
- Destination
- U14 · Nephi, UT
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 6, 2016
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 8,104 total · 6,250 in this make and model · 7,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVU, 39 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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 N20361 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.