What happened
The pilot notified air traffic control (ATC) that he needed to make an unscheduled fuel stop. ATC informed him that Cedar City Airport was approximately fifteen minutes away. Radar vectors were requested and subsequently issued to guide the aircraft toward the airport.
Despite dark night conditions, the pilot reported seeing the airport in sight. However, the pilot-controlled airport lighting was never activated. The pilot was cleared for a visual approach. Three minutes after being cleared, radar contact with the aircraft was lost.
The aircraft impacted mountainous terrain at an elevation of 9,100 feet. This location was approximately six miles east of Cedar City Airport, which sits at an elevation of 5,622 feet. The minimum safe altitude in the area was 12,400 feet.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of radar contact and the final impact location. Key factors included the dark night conditions and the failure to activate airport lighting. The terrain elevation at the impact site significantly exceeded the minimum safe altitude for the area.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's decision to conduct a visual approach in dark night conditions without activating airport lighting. The aircraft was operating below the minimum safe altitude for the mountainous terrain. The lack of visual references due to unlit airport facilities likely contributed to spatial disorientation or controlled flight into terrain.