# NTSB SEA95LA054: Cessna TR182, N738NQ, Bountiful, UT, February 19, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 18, 1995, 21:17 local (Feb 19, 1995, 04:17 UTC) - Place: Bountiful, UT - Coordinates: 40.879207, -111.820404 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8792&lon=-111.8204&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 26, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42112 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA95LA054 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42112/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA95LA054 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE RUNWAY LIGHTING SYSTEM. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - airport facilities,runway edge lights - failure,partial (contributing factor) - other airport/runway maintenance - inadequate, airport personnel (contributing factor) - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - proper alignment - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD ACTIVATED THE RUNWAY LIGHTS FOR THE DARK NIGHT LANDING. WHILE ON LONG FINAL, THE PILOT ALIGNED THE AIRPLANE WITH THE VASI LIGHTS, WHICH ARE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, UNTIL THE RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS OVER THE GRASS AREA BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND THE TAXIWAY WEST OF THE RUNWAY, AND THAT HE HAD MISTAKEN THE TAXIWAY LIGHTS FOR THE RUNWAY LEFT SIDE EDGE LIGHTS. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN SOFT MUD COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. THREE OF THE RUNWAY LEFT EDGE LIGHTS WERE OUT AND/OR BROKEN BEYOND THE VASI; THE FURTHEST BROKEN LIGHT WAS APPROX 1,300 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY. ## Factual narrative On February 18, 1995, at 2117 mountain standard time, a Cessna TR182, N738NQ, landed between the taxiway and the runway at the Bountiful Skypark Airport, Bountiful, Utah, and collided with the terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot and his four passengers were not injured. The flight had departed from Provo, Utah, at 2030, with a destination of Bountiful. During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that while over Salt Lake City, he clicked the mike seven times to activate the runway lights at Bountiful, however, he was too far out to see the runway lights. The pilot stated that it was very dark and there was no moon. The pilot again clicked the mike seven times while over the Salt Lake City Airport and the runway lights were activated. The pilot stated that he aligned the airplane with the VASI lights, which are on the west side of the runway, until the runway edge lights were visible. The pilot realized just before touch down that the airplane was over the grass between the runway and the taxi way on the west side of runway 34 and that he had mistaken the taxi lights for the runway edge. The airplane touched down in soft mud between the runway and the taxiway. During the landing roll the landing gear partially collapsed and both wing tips contacted the ground. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Salt Lake City, Utah, Flight Standards District Office reported that three runway edge lights were out and/or damaged just beyond the VASI lights on the west side of runway 34. The furthest broken light was located approximately 1,300 feet down the runway. The remainder of the runway edge lights and taxi way lights were functional. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N738NQ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N738NQ), registered now, S/N R18200945, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA TR182 - Registry model: [Cessna TR182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tr182) (registry code 2072735) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R18200945 - Airframe hours: 3447 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-L3C5D 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Simmons, Calvin - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 21, 1994, 26 hours before - Departed: PVU, PROVO, UT - Destination: BTF - Airport: BTF, Skypark, runway 34, 4,700 × 70 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 543 total, 330 in this make and model, 437 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SLC, 4 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 19950218008199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950218008199A), Feb 18, 1995: Cessna TR182, Bountiful, UT, Substantial damage. Landed between taxiway and runway on night landing. Mistook taxiway lights for runway. Mowed down edge lights. 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.