Cessna 150M accident near Kanab, Utah, March 31, 1983
On March 31, 1983 at about 7:38 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N714ML, was destroyed in an accident near Kanab, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1983 · about 7:38 pm local time
- Place
- Kanab, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N714ML · no longer on the register · serial 15079281
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED PAGE AT ABOUT 1150. AT ABOUT 1238 THE ACFT STRUCK THE SOUTH SLOPE OF A 6,280-FT CANYON WALL AT ABOUT 6,000 FT MSL. THE CANYON IS ONE OF A SERIES OF ABOUT FIVE 'FINGER' CANYONS FORMING THE VERMILION CLIFFS GROUP. SIGMENT LIMA 15 IN EFFECT CALLED FOR OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 16,000 FT ESPECIALLY WITHIN 50 MI OF ROUGH TERRAIN. THE AREA FORECAST CALLED FOR OCCASIONAL MODERATE TRUBULENCE SURFACE TO 15,000 FT DUE TO STRONG WESTERLY WINDS. A PLT WHO LANDED AT PAGE AT 1345 STATED HIS FLT WAS MARKED BY LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE TURBULENCE WITH FREQUENT SUSTAINED UP & DOWN DRAFTS. HE ALSO STATED THAT DURING HIS ARRIVAL THE WINDS WERE 160 DEG AT 28 MPH GUSTING TO 45 MPH. REPORT OF ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT NONE OF THE SPARKPLUGS WERE TORQUED, & THE SPARKPLUGS OF CYL #4 WERE ONLY FINGER-TIGHT. IN ADDITION, CYL #1'S EXHAUST VALVE LEAKED, CYL #3'S RINGS LEAKED, & CYL #4'S INTAKE VALVE & RINGS LEAKED.
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: 347 hours in all; 314 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 288 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,001 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 1983; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 6:50 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 18 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from CDC, 65 miles away
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.