History of Flight
On July 18, 2016, about 1105 mountain daylight time, a Diamond DA40, registration N419FP, impacted terrain while maneuvering near Logan, Utah. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by Utah State University as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from Logan-Cache Airport (LGU) around 1034.
According to the pilot's flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to practice maneuvers for a commercial pilot certificate, including lazy 8s, 8s on pylon, steep turns, chandelles, steep spirals, and stalls. A witness about one-third mile from the accident site observed the airplane flying in slow counterclockwise circles while descending with the engine at idle. The witness noted the wind was gusting 30-40 mph but calm between gusts, and the airplane was "rocking quite a bit as it descended through the gusts until it disappeared" from sight.
Radar data showed the airplane departed runway 35 at LGU, turned south, and began maneuvering in the practice area at 7,300 ft mean sea level (msl). Over the next several minutes, it performed counterclockwise and clockwise orbits with altitude variations. The last recorded data point at 1105:12 showed the airplane at 6,300 ft msl, with wreckage found below that point.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 21, held a Dominican Republic private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. He did not hold a Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate; all limitations on his Dominican license applied. His logbook showed about 109.9 hours of total flight time as of July 15, 2016.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, single-engine, low-wing, fixed-landing-gear airplane (serial number 40.FC019) was manufactured in 2006. It was powered by a Textron Lycoming O-360-A4M engine (serial number L-40653-36E) rated at 180 horsepower, with a Sensenich two-bladed fixed-pitch propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed May 16, 2016, at 4,599.9 hours total aircraft time.
Meteorological Information
At the accident time, a surface low pressure center was southwest of the site, and a high pressure center in northwestern Colorado. A warm front had passed north of the site earlier. Gusty low-level winds were expected over mountainous terrain. The closest weather station at Brigham City Airport reported wind from 180° at 17 knots gusting to 24 knots at 1115. Logan-Cache Airport reported wind from 180° at 5 knots at 1051 and from 230° at 14 knots gusting to 31 knots at 1151. Ogden-Hinckley Airport reported wind from 160° at 21 knots gusting to 27 knots at 1053. Observations indicated visual flight rules conditions with south to southwest winds gusting up to 31 knots. Upper air soundings from Salt Lake City indicated low-level wind shear and clear air turbulence layers. The area forecast issued at 0730 called for scattered clouds at 15,000 ft msl with southwest wind gusting to 25 knots. The pilot checked weather observations at LGU at 0951, which showed wind from 330° at 6 knots, 10 miles visibility, and clear skies. No record of an official weather briefing was found.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was on a hillside at 4,714 ft msl. Damage was consistent with a nose-low, vertical descent with little forward movement. The airplane came to rest upright on a heading of about 093° magnetic. A 1.5-ft-deep crater from propeller impact was identified. The main wreckage included the engine, cockpit, fuselage, and empennage. The left wing was separated and fragmented; the right wing remained partially attached with accordion crushing. The propeller remained attached, with one blade bent aft and both blades showing chordwise scratching. The engine remained attached to the firewall. Flight control continuity was established from cockpit to all movable surfaces. Examination revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Medical Examiner in Salt Lake City completed an autopsy and concluded the cause of death was blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing by the FAA was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and listed drugs.