History of Flight
On October 8, 2010, at approximately 1610 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172, registration N8437A, impacted mountainous terrain in the Dixie National Forest, about 15 miles northeast of Panguitch, Utah. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country flight departed Page, Arizona, at an undetermined time, destined to return to Page. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
According to a responding deputy from the Garfield County Sheriff's Department, they were notified by the employer of the pilot and passenger on the morning of October 9, when they had not returned from their flight. Initial information indicated the purpose was to spot elk in the Panguitch area for an upcoming hunting trip. The airplane had been refueled at Bryce Canyon Airport at 1510 with 10 gallons of fuel.
The accident site was located early on October 9, about 15 miles northwest of Bryce Canyon Airport. The deputy reported a smell of fuel on-scene. The right wing was raised with a small puddle of fuel at the end of the left wing fuel tank. He estimated the airplane came through the trees at a 45-degree angle and noted an 8-degree terrain slope.
No witnesses were identified, but pilots flying in the area around 1300 reported conditions too windy to fly below the ridgeline, with severe clear skies and very windy conditions.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 41, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and single-engine sea, issued on September 20, 2008. In December 2008, she reported 260 hours total time with 42 hours in the previous 6 months. She held a second-class medical certificate with a limitation to wear corrective lenses. No personal logbooks were located.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1957 four-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear Cessna 172, serial number 36134, powered by a TCM O-300-D-3 engine. Aircraft logbooks were not available; the Hobbs hour-meter indicated 2,733 hours.
Meteorological Information
A METAR for Bryce Canyon Airport at 1553 reported wind from 260 degrees at 10 knots, clear skies, visibility 10 miles, temperature 55°F, dew point 30°F, altimeter 30.31 inHg. Density altitude was calculated as 11,178 feet.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was located at 0832 on October 9 by Classic Lifeguard Aeromedical Services, aided by the ELT. The left yoke was broken; the right yoke had to be cut for passenger removal. The site was in the South Fork of Deep Creek, Mount Dutton range, elevation 9,600 feet. The airplane came to rest in trees, intact in a nose-down attitude on an 8 percent grade. The empennage was crushed and folded left. Both wings showed uniform crush damage. The horizontal stabilizer had crush damage; the rudder was undamaged. All landing gear remained attached; the nose gear folded aft. The engine was pushed back into the cockpit. One propeller blade was relatively undamaged; the other was bent aft 12 inches from the hub with ground impact damage. An Aspen tree about 6 inches in diameter was cut angularly and found in the wreckage. Recovery personnel found ½ gallon of fuel in the right tank and 1 gallon in the left.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy was performed on the pilot on October 10, 2010, by the State of Utah Medical Examiner. FAA toxicology tests showed no results for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, or tested drugs.
Test and Research
On October 12, 2010, the airframe and engine were examined at Air Transport, Phoenix, Arizona, with NTSB and manufacturer representatives. No mechanical problems were noted with the airframe. Except for the unbraided carburetor fuel inlet line, no anomalies were identified in the engine that would have precluded normal operation. Flight control continuity was established. The engine rotated freely; magnetos produced spark. Spark plug electrodes had normal signatures; some were oil-saturated. The fuel inlet line had frayed braided material but subsequent testing revealed no leaks.