Beech 35-A33 accident near Heber City, Utah, January 2, 2006
On January 2, 2006 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech 35-A33, registered N1254Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Heber City, Utah. It was a personal 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 continued VFR flight into IMC and his subsequent failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing factors were low ceilings, snow, and mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2006 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Heber City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-A33 · all 35-A33s on the register
- Registration
- N1254Z · no longer on the register · serial CD-328
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated commercial pilot was making a cross-country flight in the airplane over mountainous terrain. During a pre-flight weather briefing and during two in-flight weather updates, the pilot was advised by flight service station weather briefers that VFR flight was not recommended along his route of flight. The flight was receiving VFR flight following services, and the air traffic controllers working the flight also twice advised the pilot of deteriorating weather conditions ahead along his route of flight. The pilot responded that if necessary, he would turn around. Radar and radio contact with the airplane were subsequently lost due to the mountainous terrain. Two witnesses located at different points along the intended route of flight observed the airplane flying southbound at an altitude of about 300 feet agl. The first witness, located about 16 miles north of the accident site, reported that the ceiling was about 500 feet, and there was light snow and sleet falling. The second witness, located about 4 miles north of the accident site, reported that "it was snowing hard and there was little visibility." According to local law enforcement personnel, at the time of the accident, the weather conditions in the vicinity of the accident site were "extreme" with visibility "less than 500 feet with heavy snow." Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a right wing low attitude heading northbound, suggesting that the pilot may have been executing a 180 degree turn in an attempt to exit the weather conditions when the impact occurred. Inspection of the engine did not reveal any abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation and production of rated horsepower. Damage to the propeller was consistent with the engine producing power at impact.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,090 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,907 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 4:10 pm
- Destination: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from 36U, 10 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.