Piper PA-24-250 accident near Antimony, Utah, December 8, 2000
On December 8, 2000 at about 11:56 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8245P, was destroyed in an accident near Antimony, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing, his VFR flight into IMC, lack of instrument certification, spatial disorientation, low ceiling, and snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2000 · about 11:56 pm local time
- Place
- Antimony, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8245P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3500
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated private pilot did not obtain a weather briefing nor file a flight plan for the cross country flight. There were a snow advisory and an AIRMET in effect for low ceilings and snow along the airplane's route of flight. There were no known radio communications with the pilot. Radar data disclosed and tracked a VFR target in the vicinity of the accident location, descending from 14,900 feet msl to 9,800 feet. The target then reversed course, and then squawked 7700 (emergency) before disappearing. The airplane collided with mountainous terrain at 8,540 feet. Examination of the airplane revealed that it impacted the ground in a steep nose down attitude.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 125 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,770 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 2000; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 10:35 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft; scat at 900 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.