Cessna 320D accident near Green River, WY
On April 12, 2012, a Cessna 320D (airplane) was involved in an accident near Green River, WY. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 12, 2012
- Place
- Green River, WY
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320D · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 41.336°N, 109.821°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120413X73241
Official records · WPR12FA164
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Radar Study: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC Radar Data: Document (CSV), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 12, 2012, about 1730 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 320D, N32EG, collided with mountainous terrain following an in-flight break up and uncontrolled descent about 23 miles south of Green River, Wyoming. The private pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Flying High Investments, and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Sidney, Nebraska (KSNY), about 1530 and the pilot's planned destination was Winnemucca, Nevada (KWMC). On April 12, family members alerted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the pilot was overdue at his planned destination. That evening, at 2307, the FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) for the missing airplane. The following morning, search and rescue personnel discovered the wreckage in a remote area south of Green River. The wreckage debris field was approximately 0.4 miles in length. Recorded radar data covering the area of the accident was supplied by the FAA. The radar data was studied using the airplane's approximate time and anticipated flight track from Sidney. The radar returns believed to be associated with the accident airplane showed a radar track on a mostly westerly heading at cruise altitudes between 10,000 and 12,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The radar track continued westerly until about 1716 hours. The track then depicted a descending 720-degree t
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in marginal weather conditions, which resulted in an exceedence of the design stress limits of the airplane and a subsequent in-flight structural failure.
More accidents in WY
- Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47E, Jul 26, 2024
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- Piper PA-32R-301T, Oct 9, 2012
Browse: Wyoming · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
