Cessna T310R accident near Heber City, Utah, April 17, 2006
On April 17, 2006 at about 4:26 pm local time, a Cessna T310R, registered N289WB, was destroyed in an accident near Heber City, Utah (Na airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's loss of aircraft control due to the loss of engine power due to induction icing. Contributing factors include the in-flight encounter with structural icing, the severe turbulence, and the pilot's increased workload.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2006 · about 4:26 pm local time
- Place
- Heber City, Utah · Na · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T310R · all T310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N289WB · no longer on the register · serial 310R0817
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Radar data depicted the airplane reverse course from a southerly track to a northerly track. The pilot reported to air route traffic control center (ARTCC) that he had just lost manifold pressure in the left engine and that he needed to go lower. The controller cleared the pilot to descend from 16,000 feet mean sea level (msl) to 14,000 feet msl. The center controller asked the pilot if he had reversed course due to his engine problem and the pilot acknowledged in the affirmative. The controller assigned the pilot another frequency and the pilot acknowledged the frequency change. No further transmissions were made from the pilot on either frequency and radar contact was lost at an encoded altitude of 11,400 feet msl. The wreckage was located in mountainous, down sloping, snow covered, forested terrain. The airplane was destroyed. An examination of the airframe, engines, and airplane systems revealed no anomalies. Radar echoes and satellite data indicated that the accident airplane most likely entered clouds approximately 1010. Based upon the current icing potential algorithm, there was a high likelihood of icing and supercooled large water droplets at 14,000 to 16,000 feet msl in the accident area. Based on area forecasts, PIREPS, and weather advisories, the accident airplane most likely encountered moderate to severe turbulence and moderate to severe mixed icing during the final few minutes before the accident.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 737 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,834.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 5,680 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 1:30 pm
- Destination: CDC Cedar City UT
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; ovct at 600 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from 36U, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.