Grumman G-1159 accident near Logan, Utah, January 20, 2005
On January 20, 2005 at about 3:30 am local time, a Grumman G-1159, registered N74RQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Logan, Utah (Logan-Cache Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper IFR operation by which he failed to comply to the missed approach procedure, and his improper evaluation of the weather resulting in an encounter with fog and his loss of visual contact with the runway during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 2005 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Logan, Utah · Logan-Cache Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-1159 · all G-1159s on the register
- Registration
- N74RQ · no longer on the register · serial 113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain stated they had flown the GPS approach to runway 35. When they did not see the runway or runway environment they initiated a missed approach. During the missed approach, they were able to see the first 4 to 5 thousand feet on the approach end of runway 17. They "elected to circle to the north west to set up for a visual approach to runway 17." The captain stated that the approach was "slightly high and as a result, the flare was a bit higher than normal." The airplane entered the fog layer just prior to touchdown. The captain stated that during the landing flare the airplane had drifted to the left and "the aircraft settled onto the runway to the left of centerline and shortly thereafter the left main gear impacted a snow berm." The airplane turned hard to the left and departed the runway. The nose gear separated, the radome was crushed and the cockpit pressure bulkhead was broken open. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) at LGU reported the weather as follows: wind, calm; visibility, 1/4 statute mile in freezing fog; sky condition, vertical visibility 100 feet agl; temperature, minus 7 degrees Celsius (C), dewpoint, minus 7 degrees C; altimeter, 30.45 inches.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,320 hours in all; 1,253 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,125 as pilot in command; 292 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 11, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,143 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 13, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,011 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 17, 2004; 225 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 62,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce SPEY MKS11-8 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce SPEY MKS11-8 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO
- Destination: LGU Logan UT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 9,095 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: vv at 100 ft; ovct at 100 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 am from LGU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.