Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Cedar City, Utah, November 23, 1992
On November 23, 1992 at about 1:25 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5108S, was destroyed in an accident near Cedar 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
CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT CONDITION, SNOW SHOWERS, AND INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1992 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Cedar City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5108S · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7135109
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AT NIGHT AND IN SNOWING CONDITIONS, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. SHORTLY AFTER THE FLIGHT HAD TAKEN OFF, THE PILOT MADE CONTACT WITH THE FSS FOR A WEATHER UPDATE. THE SPECIALIST INFORMED THE PILOT THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT OPTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INFORMING THE SPECIALIST THAT HE WOULD MAKE CONTACT WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS CLOSER. AS THE FLIGHT WAS NEARING THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT HAD TRIED THREE TIMES TO CONTACT THE FSS WITHOUT SUCCESS. IT WAS LATER FOUND THAT THE SPECIALIST WAS NOT MONITORING ALL OF THE FREQUENCIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND IN A VALLEY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,498 hours in all; 19 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 4,459 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SGU St. George UT at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 am from CDC, 9 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.