Cessna 172M accident near Saratoga, WY
On March 3, 2013, a Cessna 172M (airplane) was involved in an accident near Saratoga, WY. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 3, 2013
- Place
- Saratoga, WY
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 41.513°N, 106.570°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130305X54320
Official records · WPR13FA138
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Excerpt of FAA PRC-FCFSS Weather Brief-Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 3, 2013, about 1558 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172M, N5129R, impacted trees and snow covered mountainous terrain 11 nautical miles east northeast of Saratoga, Wyoming. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Bryce Canyon Airport (KBCE), Bryce Canyon, Utah, at 1225 with a destination of Laramie Regional Airport (KLAR), Laramie, Wyoming. A witness, east of Saratoga, saw an airplane fly overhead in an easterly direction near the time of the accident. She stated that the airplane wasn't visible until directly overhead through an opening in the low and broken clouds. She stated that it was about 500 feet above the ground. The sound of the engine was heard continuing east, and subsequently headed north as if it were to fly along the foothills of Pennock Mountain. She stated the foothills and Pennock Mountain were not visible because of the low clouds. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the estimated time of arrival for the flight to KLAR was 1620, and it was considered overdue at 1650. When the VFR flight plan was not closed, an INREQ (information request) was issued by the Prescott Flight Service Station (FSS), followed thereafter by an ALNOT (alert notice) at 1719. Meanwhile, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to attempt flight into approaching adverse weather, which led to his low-level flight, encounter with mountain obscuration and moderate turbulence, and his subsequent loss of airplane control. Contributing to the severity of the pilot’s injuries was the failure of the seat restraint assembly.
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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.
