ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 172866
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 9 January 2015 |
| Time: | 16:15 |
| Type: |  Cirrus SR22 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N383GM |
| MSN: | 0555 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2003 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1145 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-550 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Tooele, UT -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | South Valley Regional Airport, UT (U42) |
| , | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The noninstrument-rated private pilot departed during the late afternoon and flew over the southern portion of the Great Salt Lake. According to data recovered from the airplane’s avionics system, which did not capture altitude, the duration of the flight was about 9 minutes. During the final minute of the flight, the airplane conducted a gradual left turn at an engine power setting of about 2,200 rpm. Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted the lake. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Local meteorological observations indicated that restricted visibility and fog were forecast throughout the area about the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot encountered these conditions inflight and lost visual reference to the ground and/or horizon. Given the pilot’s lack of an instrument rating and of recent instrument flight experience, the loss of visual reference likely resulted in spatial disorientation.
Toxicological testing on the pilot revealed the presence of bupropion, an antidepressant; hydrocodone, an opiod analgesic; and diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine. The investigation was unable to determine if the use of bupropion or the cognitive effects of any underlying depression contributed to the accident. Because the hydrocodone was found in the urine but not the blood, it no longer caused systemic effects and played no role in the accident. However, it is likely that the effects of diphenhydramine impaired the pilot’s cognitive and psychomotor performance at the time of the accident, and contributed to his spatial disorientation.
Probable Cause: The non-instrument rated pilot’s decision to depart into low visibility conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impaired performance due to his use of the sedating antihistamine, diphenhydramine.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N383GM
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2015 18:42 | gerard57 | Added |
| 10-Jan-2015 18:43 | harro | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 10-Jan-2015 22:11 | Anon. | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 10-Jan-2015 22:12 | Geno | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 10-Jan-2015 22:59 | Geno | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 20-Jan-2015 22:48 | Geno | Updated [Time, Source] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 27-Feb-2017 16:07 | PiperOnslaught | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2017 13:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Sep-2022 16:01 | Captain Adam | Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation