Aviat A-1C-180 N60WY

Summary

On 3 December 2022 at about 11:00 local time, a Aviat A-1C-180 registered N60WY was involved in an accident near Morgan, Utah, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 December 2022 at 11:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Morgan, Utah, United States

Coordinates

41.0545, -111.7506

Aircraft

Aviat A-1C-180

Registration

N60WY

Category

Airplane

Year built

2022

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Morgan → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23LA053

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from snow covered terrain while maneuvering at low attitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s loss of visual reference due to snow and flat light conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, the intention of the flight was to fly over a friend’s property to determine how much snow had accumulated. On a low approach without intent to land, the overcast sky and flat light made it difficult to determine his height above the field, and the airplane’s right wheel touched the soft snow and dug in. The pilot attempted a go-around, however the left main tire then dug in. He decided to land rather than lose directional control, however on rollout the airplane struck a snow drift that he could not see, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, vertical fin, and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.