Piper PA28 accident near Aurora, UT
On November 25, 2012, a Piper PA28 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Aurora, UT. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 25, 2012
- Place
- Aurora, UT
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 38.954°N, 112.124°W
- NTSB ID
- 20121202X23953
Official records · WPR13FA061
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 25, 2012, about 1300 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181 airplane, N8314E, was substantially damaged following impact with remote mountainous terrain while maneuvering about 9 nautical miles (nm) west-northwest of Aurora, Utah. The certified private pilot, who occupied the left front cockpit seat, the certified student pilot, who occupied the right front cockpit seat, and the sole passenger who occupied one of the rear cabin seats sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Fillmore Municipal Airport (FOM), Fillmore, Utah, about 1245, with the Gillette-Campbell County Airport (GCC), Gillette, Wyoming, as its intended destination. In a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) 9 days after the accident, and 2 days subsequent to the airplane's wreckage being located, a family member of the pilot reported that the pilot and his 2 passengers had flown from GCC to the Shafter-Minter Field (MIT), Shafter, California, via Fillmore, Utah, about a week earlier to celebrate Thanksgiving; he also reported that the pilot had made this same trip over the same route 3 or 4 times previously, but had no actual knowledge of the pilot's mountain flying experience. The family member stated that the pilot had informed the 2 female passengers prior to their departure from GCC, that due to the additional weight
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain while maneuvering in a remote mountainous region. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to traverse the remote mountainous area in high-density altitude conditions with the airplane near its maximum gross weight. Contributing to the delay in the search and rescue (SAR) was the lack of a 406-MHz ELT signal, which would
More accidents in UT
- Beech A100, Aug 22, 2008
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Browse: Utah · Piper 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.
