Cessna 172 accident near Panguitch, UT
On February 26, 2017, a Cessna 172 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Panguitch, UT. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 26, 2017
- Place
- Panguitch, UT
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 38.007°N, 112.499°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170227X54511
Official records · WPR17FA065
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 25, 2017, about 2040 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172H, N3712F, was substantially damaged during impact with terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude about 11 nautical miles (nm) north-northwest of Panguitch, Utah. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight that was being conducted under visual flight rules. The flight departed Page Municipal Airport (PGA), Page, Arizona, about 1930, with a destination of South Valley Regional Airport (U42), Salt Lake City, Utah. According to a pilot-rated friend of the family, who resided in the same community as the accident pilot, reported that the pilot initially departed Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA), Phoenix, Arizona, during the late afternoon on the day of the accident. At 1849, he texted the pilot and asked him how the flight back was going. The pilot replied at 1852, and advised him that he had just landed at PGA and was in the process of getting fuel, to which the friend asked how the weather was? At 1854, the pilot responded that it was ok, cloudy, followed by asking his friend how the weather was at his destination. The friend replied, "Cloudy. You good in the dark with the clouds?" There was no immediate response from the pilot. At 1903, the friend asked the pilot if he was g
Probable cause
The pilot's continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning and his poor decision-making.
More accidents in UT
- Beech A100, Aug 22, 2008
- Swearingen SA-226TC, Jan 15, 1987
- Beech 65-A90, Jan 15, 2001
- Cessna T210L, May 7, 1995
- Gulfstream 690D, May 7, 1986
Browse: Utah · 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.
