SALT LAKE CITY, UT, USA
N9652X
CESSNA 182R
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 182R WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 32 WITH BOEING TRAFFIC ONE MILE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 35. RADAR DATA SHOWS THE CESSNA CROSSING THE GROUND TRACK OF THE BOEING APPROXIMATELY 38 SECONDS AFTER THE 757'S PASSAGE AND AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 100 FEET AGL. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH THE CESSNA ENCOUNTERED A 'BURBLE' FOLLOWED BY A RAPID RIGHT ROLL AND NOSE UP PITCH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY 32 THRESHOLD AS THE PILOT WAS REGAINING CONTROL.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 9, 1993, at 1858 hours mountain standard time (MST), a Cessna 182R, N9652X, registered to/operated by the Civil Air Patrol, and being flown by Larry L. Hughes, a certificated private pilot, was destroyed during a loss of control on landing on runway 32 at the Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah. The pilot sustained minor injuries and his two passengers were uninjured. Visual night meteorological conditions existed at the time and, according to FAA air traffic personnel, no flight plan had been filed. The public use flight, which was a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Category "B" mission, was to have been operated in accordance with appropriate CAP procedures, and departed the Logan-Cache airport, Logan, Utah, at approximately 1820 hours. After departing Logan-Cache the aircraft proceeded southbound and was eventually cleared into the Salt Lake City International Airport traffic pattern. The aircraft was subsequently cleared by the (developmental) local controller to pass behind a Delta Boeing 727 on final for runway 35, cleared to land on runway 32. Shortly thereafter an exchange of communications between the pilot of N9652X and the local controller took place and the (full performance) local controller, who had been monitoring the developmental controller, requested that the pilot make a left 360 degree turn. Immediately following the turn request the (developmental) local controller cleared Delta (DL) 1488, a Boeing 757, to land on runway 35 and subsequently advised the Delta flight of the orbiting Cessna traffic. At 1857:03 the local controller called N9652X and advised "additional Boeing traffic one mile final now roll out direct to the numbers runway three two runway three two cleared to land." Approximately 1858:10 an ELT signal was heard at the local controller's position (refer to "Air Traffic Control Group Chairman's Factual Report of Investigation" and Communication Transcript T-I). The pilot reported in a telephonic interview with the Investigator in Charge (IIC) that he was on centerline for runway 32, had crossed over runway 35, was setting up to land with full flaps and was reducing power and setting up for a flare. The aircraft then hit a "burble" and he added power anticipating more turbulence. As the power was added the aircraft pitched up and smoothly began a very rapid right roll which the pilot attempted to counteract. During the recovery the aircraft impacted the ground (refer to Pilot Interview Transcription T-I and NTSB Form 6120.1/2). PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot reported a total of 388 hours of flight time of which 325 hours were pilot in command and 167 hours were logged in the Cessna 182. Additionally, in his telephonic interview with the IIC he reported that within the previous six months to the accident he had landed at Salt Lake City International Airport approximately 10 times during peak traffic periods. He also reported that he was familiar with wake turbulence and the need to fly high and land long for turbulence avoidance during landings. He stated that he was unaware of any specific information about wake turbulence relative to the Boeing 757 (refer to Pilot Interview Transcription T-I). METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The winds reported to DL 1488 at 1856:36 by the local controller were 180 degrees (magnetic) at 4 knots. AERODROME INFORMATION The thresholds of runways 32 and 35 are 4223.5 feet and 4223.6 feet mean sea level (MSL) respectively. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The first evidence of ground impact from N9652X was metal transfer onto the pavement several hundred feet short of the threshold of runway 32 and slightly east of the extended centerline. These marks were associated with the aircraft's right wing and propeller. The aircraft came to rest at a location between the runway identification numbers and upwind end of the threshold marking bars for runway 35. The final resting place was at approximately 40 degrees 46.4 minutes north latitude and 111 degrees 57.75 minutes west longitude at an elevation of 4224 feet MSL. The wreckage distribution track, from the first impact marks to the final resting place of N9652X, was approximately 008 degrees magnetic covering a distance of 350 feet. The two inboard, left threshold lights for runway 35 sustained impact damage (refer to DIAGRAM I and photographs 1 through 4). Supplements "A" and "B", "Wreckage Documentation" and "Cockpit Documentation" were not included in this report as the airframe/engine were not relevant to the accident and the cockpit instrumentation had been secured subsequent to the accident. TESTS AND RESEARCH The radar tracks of both N9652X and DL 1488 were recorded by the Salt Lake Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS III). Information extracted from the radar tape showed DL 1488 approaching runway 35 from the south. The last radar target was recorded at 1857:29.36 and shows the 757 to be 243 feet north of the threshold of runway 35 and at an altitude of 4200 feet MSL. At 1857:29.07 N9652X was located slightly less than one nautical mile east of the north/south ground track of DL 1488 and at an altitude of 4800 feet MSL. N9652X continued descending generally west-bound until 1857:56.89, at which time the aircraft began a turn to the northwest at an altitude of 4400 feet MSL. The aircraft then crossed the ground track of DL 1488 approximately 38 seconds after the 757 had passed, and the last recorded target at 1858:06.25 showed N9652X very slightly west of the 757's ground track and at an altitude of 4300 feet MSL (refer to "Recorded Radar Study" including Attachments II-2, II-2, and II-1). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION An investigation of this public aircraft accident by the NTSB was formally requested by the Civil Air Patrol on November 10, 1993. The aircraft was released to the Civil Air Patrol on November 17, 1993 (refer to NTSB Form 6120.15).
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S MAINTAINING INADEQUATE ALTITUDE WHILE CROSSING OVER THE GROUND TRACK OF THE LANDING BOEING 757. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS WAKE TURBULENCE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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