Accident Summary
On the day of the accident, the pilot departed Salt Lake City at 0600 after returning from a multiday trip at 0200. He cancelled his IFR flight plan and began descending from 13,000 feet in preparation for landing at Vernal, UT. The aircraft impacted the ground in a wings-level attitude while under power. A postcrash ground fire resulted in serious burns to the pilot.
Pilot Activity Prior to Accident
The pilot had flown a small aircraft from Salt Lake City to Price, UT, and then to Pierre, SD, the day before the accident. He returned to Salt Lake City at 0200 on the day of the accident. The accident flight departed Salt Lake City at 0600. The pilot was identified as Pat Sullivan.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of flight control failure prior to impact. A Federal Aviation Administration physician opined that the pilot was asleep at the time of impact. The aircraft was flying into the rising sun at the time of the accident.
The official findings identified the occurrence as an in-flight collision with terrain during a normal descent. Specific findings included: poor judgment by the pilot in command, chronic fatigue, lack of sleep, terrain condition (open field), and light condition (dawn). The pilot sustained serious burns from the postcrash ground fire.