- Date
- December 3, 2022, 11:00, time zone not recorded
- Place
- Morgan, UT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N60WYAviat A-1C-180
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- SLC FSDO
- FAA report
- 20221203017809A
- Case key
- 106416
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 snow covered terrain while maneuvering at low attitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s loss of visual reference due to snow and flat light conditions.
Findings · 5
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, the intention of the flight was to fly over a friend’s property to determine how much snow had accumulated. On a low approach without intent to land, the overcast sky and flat light made it difficult to determine his height above the field, and the airplane’s right wheel touched the soft snow and dug in. The pilot attempted a go-around, however the left main tire then dug in. He decided to land rather than lose directional control, however on rollout the airplane struck a snow drift that he could not see, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, vertical fin, and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60WY
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1C-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3388
- Built
- 2022
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A/P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cannon Land LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 10, 2022 · 104 hours before
- Departed
- 42U · Morgan, 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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 801 total · 401 in this make and model · 615 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KOGD, 14 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KOGD 031853Z 33004KT 10SM CLR M02/M10 A3029 RMK AO2 SLP284 T10221100=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 31, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 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.