History of Flight
On June 1, 2011, at 1433 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172R (N475ER) was executing a go-around at Wendover Airport, Wendover, Utah, when it entered a rapid vertical descent and collided with the ground. The airplane, registered to G&B Investment Management, Inc., was operated as a rental under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from St. George, Utah, around 1200.
The pilot rented the airplane from G&B Aircraft Management on May 31 and departed from Bountiful Utah Skypark Airport, where the airplane was based, to fly himself and three passengers to St. George for business. The Bountiful Airport was scheduled for runway closure June 1-2. Family members reported the pilot planned to return from St. George to Provo, Utah, on June 1. A witness stated he was not aware of the pilot doing flight planning beforehand.
FAA radio communications and radar playback showed the pilot first contacted Prescott Flight Service at 1403 requesting identification and location. Flight Service provided frequencies to Salt Lake Center; the pilot initially could not establish communications but later contacted Clover Control (Hill Air Force Base) at 1420, requesting guidance to Wendover. Clover Control established radar contact at 1422, advising the pilot he was 23 miles south of Wendover and provided runway and weather information: runways 26 and 08 open, winds from 220 degrees at 21 knots gusting to 25. The pilot asked for a heading to Tooele but decided to continue to Wendover. Clover Control ensured the pilot had the airport in sight before directing him to the UNICOM frequency. At 1429, the pilot made standard traffic calls, and at 1431 stated he was on final for runway 26. Wendover operations asked if he needed fuel; the pilot replied yes.
Witnesses working on closed runways observed the airplane attempt to land on runway 26. They described the airplane touching down multiple times, flying sideways with the nose into the wind, then climbing out. After regaining a few hundred feet, it turned north and then suddenly rolled and descended straight down. Video from a surveillance camera on the terminal building confirmed the airplane gaining altitude, turning toward the camera, and descending vertically.
The airspace between St. George and Wendover contained several restricted areas and military operating areas. A route to the north-northeast would be clear of these areas.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 57, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating issued January 26, 2008, and a third-class medical certificate issued March 18, 2009, with a limitation for corrective lenses. His logbook recorded his most recent flight review on October 8, 2010, with 186.0 total flight hours. After that, rental records showed a single flight of 0.4 hours on May 4, 2011.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, high-wing, fixed landing gear airplane (serial number 17280670) was manufactured in 1998. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 200-hp engine with a McCauley fixed-pitch propeller. The most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on May 26, 2011, at a total airframe time of 7,392.3 hours; engine total time was 6,520.5 hours, with 1,233.4 hours since overhaul. The tachometer displayed 5,511.7 hours at the accident site.
The weight and balance record dated June 2, 2004, listed maximum weight 2,558 lbs and empty weight 1,670.17 lbs. A fuel receipt from St. George showed purchase of 44.2 gallons of 100LL avgas (fuel capacity 53 gallons). Personal bags weighed 76.6 lbs; the pilot weighed 189 lbs, front passenger 165 lbs, rear passengers combined 438 lbs. Total weight assuming full fuel was 2,857 lbs, 299 lbs over max gross. The center of gravity (cg) was calculated at 124.8 inches; the farthest aft cg limit at 2,550 lbs is 115.5 inches. Extrapolating to 2,857 lbs gave an aft limit of 121.1 inches, placing the actual cg 3.7 inches aft. With empty fuel, weight would be 2,539 lbs (19 lbs under max) with a moment of 117.8 inches, 2.3 inches aft of limit. The Cessna representative noted the elevator trim tab was approximately 15 degrees tab up (maximum 22 degrees), indicating a tail-heavy condition but not beyond control.
The pilot who flew the airplane on May 27, 2011, reported no mechanical issues and that the stall warning horn worked properly. The POH states maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity is 15 knots (not a limitation).
Wreckage and Impact Information
Wreckage was on flat desert terrain between the approach ends of runways 8 and 12, oriented along a magnetic bearing of 015 degrees. The initial impact point was identified by green glass from the right wing tip position light, about 70 feet from the main wreckage, with disturbed earth between. The left wing was partially folded under the fuselage; the right wing folded over the right side. Both wing leading edges were crushed accordion-style; the right wing outboard leading edge was curled over. Ailerons and flaps were attached; fuel leaked from both wings. The cockpit instrument panel was fragmented. The tail section was intact with vertical and horizontal stabilizers attached. Control cables were continuous except the right aileron cable separated at the wing root and the left rudder cable separated in the aft fuselage, both in broomstraw fashion. The flap jackscrew was fully retracted (flaps up). The elevator trim actuator extended 1.6 inches (15 degrees tab up). The fuel selector was in the both position.
The engine was examined on-site: spark plugs appeared normal; fuel servo and flow divider contained fuel; thumb compression achieved on all cylinders; about 4 quarts of oil drained; magnetos produced spark. One propeller blade was wrapped aft around the engine with extensive face polishing; the other blade remained straight with moderate leading edge polishing.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy on June 2, 2011, identified blunt force injuries of the head, torso, and extremities as the cause of death. Forensic toxicology detected 10 mg/dL ethanol in blood, 5 mg/dL methanol in liver, and 3.121 ug/ml acetaminophen in blood.
Meteorological Information
The Wendover AWOS at 1435 reported wind from 200 degrees at 24 knots gusting to 28, 10 statute miles visibility, sky clear. Runway 12/30 was closed for construction.
Prescott Flight Service had no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing on May 31 or June 1. Available weather included AIRMET TANGO for turbulence and sustained surface winds >30 knots; Terminal Area Forecast for Provo at 0420: winds 180 at 18 gusting 28; for Wendover: winds 180 at 18 gusting 28 starting at 1300.