TOOELE, UT, USA
N3034B
Piper PA28-181
While on a cross-country VFR flight, the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions while he was attempting to stay below the clouds, approximately 10 miles short of his destination. He said he misjudged the rapidly forming fog conditions, misread his map regarding terrain elevation, and did not think the terrain elevation was as high as it was in the area where the accident occurred. He then inadvertently flew into the ground in cruise flight at an elevation of 6,200 feet above mean sea level. The pilot also stated that this was his first experience in the mountains and that he should have turned back when the weather conditions began to deteriorate. .
On October 29, 1998, at 1350 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N3034B, impacted terrain during cruise flight approximately 10 miles south of Tooele, Utah. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by postimpact fire. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area and no flight plan was filed for this personal cross-country flight which originated from Provo, Utah, at 1330. The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The intended destination was Tooele. According to the pilot, he was attempting to stay below the clouds, which resulted in colliding with terrain, when he inadvertently entered instrument meteorological conditions, in the form of fog, approximately 10 miles short of his destination. Witnesses, who were in the area where the accident occured, said fog was forming rapidly. The aircraft struck terrain at an elevation of 6,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) and the destination airport elevation was 4,316 feet msl. The pilot said he had read and viewed tapes about mountain flying because this was his first experience in the mountains and he misread his map as to the terrain features and misjudged the fog conditions that were developing. He said he did not think the terrain elevation was as high as it was in the area where the accident occurred. In his written statement, the pilot stated he should have turned back when the weather conditions began to deteriorate.
The pilot's VFR flight into IMC and his failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance. Contributng factors were fog, low ceilings, high terrain, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic environment and his misinterpretation of terrain features on the aeronautical chart.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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