WPR24FA024

After departing, the airplane climbed to about 8,800 ft on a southwest course and remained at that altitude and on that heading until impacting terrain. No meteorological conditions were present that would have affected the pilot’s visibility on the visual flight rules flight. Although examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, flight control continuity could not be fully confirmed due to extensive impact and fire damage. There was no evidence of an in-flight bird strike. Additionally, due to the extent of the pilot’s injuries, evaluation of his autopsy for evidence of medical factors that may have affected his ability to operate the airplane was limited. The toxicological examination revealed that the pilot had used the medication cetirizine; however, whether the pilot may have been experiencing some associated mild sedation at the time of the accident could not be determined. Due to the airplane’s extensive impact and fire damage, and the extent of the pilot’s injuries, the reason for the airplane’s controlled flight into terrain could not be determined.

On October 27, 2023, about 1345 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T206H, N915DV, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Huntington, Utah. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot’s family member stated that the pilot had traveled earlier in the morning from his base airport in Craig, Colorado, to Vernal, Utah. After spending about two hours in Vernal, the pilot departed with a planned destination of Cedar City, Utah. ADS-B data for the accident flight showed that the airplane departed Vernal to the southwest about 1300 and then proceeded west to Bottle Hollow Reservoir. Thereafter, about 1310, the airplane headed on a southwest course and climbed to about 8,300 ft mean sea level (msl). At 1318, the airplane climbed to about 8,800 ft and remained at that altitude and on the heading until the data ended at 1345. The last data point was adjacent to where the wreckage was found, near the peak of a hill (see figure 1). Figure 1: Flight path A Foreflight account associated with the pilot showed that no Flights were created in his account for the accident date (in order to receive flight briefing, a pilot must create a flight and enter the departure and destination airports). However, multiple Routes were entered on the day of the accident between Twin Falls, Idaho (KTWF), Craig, Colorado (KCAG), and Vernal, Utah (KVEL). Planning a Route will generate flight time, fuel calculations, and make available various weather information (but not a briefing). No weather information was viewed in the Foreflight app before the flight. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Medical Examiner, performed the pilot’s autopsy. According to the pilot’s autopsy report the cause of death was blunt force injuries and the manner of death was accident. Due to the extent of the pilot’s injuries, his autopsy was limited for evaluation. Postmortem toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected cetirizine in liver tissue and did not detect cetirizine in muscle tissue. Norchlorcyclizine also was detected in liver tissue and muscle tissue. The wreckage examination revealed that the left wing had separated from the fuselage and was broken into inboard and outboard sections, while the right wing displayed leading-edge crush and thermal damage near the fuel tank. The fuselage, cockpit, passenger cabin, and empennage sustained extensive thermal damage, and the cabin structure exhibited significant crush deformation. Flight control continuity could not be fully confirmed due to impact and fire damage, but several cable runs showed tensile breaks and recovery cuts. Trim system components were heavily damaged, though the trim tab was observed in the nose-up position. The flap actuator measurement indicated the flaps were fully retracted at impact. The fuel system examination revealed that the left tank was mostlyintact but breached and fire damaged. The fuel selector was found in the BOTH position with its strainer screen free of major debris. Both fuel caps were recovered with pliable gaskets. The instrument panel and flight displays were almost completely consumed by fire, preventing recovery of cockpit configuration or instrumentation data. The engine was intact but exhibited extensive impact and thermal damage. The crankcase displayed multiple fractures, with all six cylinders attached in their respective positions; the left-side cylinders were severely fragmented. The engine could not be rotated by hand, precluding compression testing. Mechanical continuity was confirmed visually through borescope inspection, and both the camshaft and crankshaft assemblies were intact with no signs of fractures, cracking, or bearing distress. All connecting rods remained securely attached. The accessory housing examination showed the crankshaft gear and dowel intact, with idler gears and oil pump undamaged. The engine-driven fuel, vacuum, and hydraulic pump drives were secured and undamaged. The left magneto had separated and sustained both impact and thermal damage, while the right magneto remained attached but was inoperative consistent with its thermal damage. Several spark plugs were destroyed or unavailable, while others were intact but exhibited heat-related discoloration. All ignition leads were destroyed. The exhaust system remained structurally attached, with gases routed through the heat shroud and turbocharger assembly before exiting through the tailpipe. The turbocharger had separated due to impact, with compressor wheel damage consistent with rotation at impact. The fuel system was heavily damaged, with the engine-driven fuel pump and servo diaphragms destroyed by fire. The throttle and mixture controls remained connected. The propeller hub was fractured, with a fragment secured to the crankshaft flange. All three blades had separated and exhibited leading-edge gouging, torsional twisting, chordwise striations, and S-bending along the trailing edges. These signatures were consistent with the absorption of significant rotational energy at impact. There was no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures, nor was there evidence of an in-flight impact with wildlife. Samples recovered from the airplane were examined by specialists from the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab using DNA and microscopic analysis. None of the samples contained bird material.