Incident Overview
A pilot flying for pleasure departed Salt Lake City bound for Bear Lake with the intention of overflying a home that he owned near the lake. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules. After arriving in the vicinity of Bear Lake, the aircraft was observed by witnesses who provided accounts of its final moments.
Witness Observations
Multiple witnesses near the accident site reported seeing the aircraft circle above the pilot's house. Following several orbits, the aircraft departed the area by flying over a ridge of mountains. It then turned out over the lake itself, where it was observed in straight and level flight for a brief period. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft descended at a steep angle into the water. No distress calls or radio communications were reported prior to the impact.
Medical Findings
An autopsy conducted on the pilot detected the presence of coronary arteriosclerosis, a condition characterized by the hardening and narrowing of the coronary arteries. The assistant medical examiner who performed the autopsy noted in the official report that the pilot "may have been rendered incapacitated by an acute cardiac arrhythmia," a sudden irregular heartbeat that can lead to loss of consciousness or sudden incapacitation.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident sequence involved two occurrences. The first occurrence was a loss of control in flight during the cruise phase of operation, directly resulting from the pilot's incapacitation due to a cardiovascular condition (other cardiovascular). The second occurrence was an uncontrolled descent that culminated in an in-flight collision with terrain/water. The probable cause is therefore listed as pilot incapacitation leading to loss of control, with the subsequent uncontrolled descent into Bear Lake.