United Consultant Corp. UC-1 accident near Pinedale, Wyoming, October 27, 1994
On October 27, 1994 at about 7:30 pm local time, a United Consultant Corp. UC-1, registered N9501U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pinedale, Wyoming. It was an instructional 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
AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: ROUGH WATER AND DOWNDRAFTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1994 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pinedale, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- United Consultant Corp. UC-1
- Registration
- N9501U · no longer on the register · serial UC-006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE AIRPLANE OVER THE WATER, THEN THEY HEARD A SOUND LIKE AN EXPLOSION. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND SUBMERGED IN THE LAKE. AFTER RETRIEVAL, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING WAS CRUSHED REARWARD. THE FUSELAGE FROM THE NOSE TO JUST AFT OF THE CABIN WAS CRUSHED UP AND REARWARD. THE LEFT WING AND ENGINE WERE NOT RETRIEVED. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A PILOT WHO FLEW OVER THE LAKE A SHORT TIME AFTER THE ACCIDENT REPORTED ROUGH AND TURBULENT CONDITIONS WITH SEVERE DOWNDRAFTS. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT THE WATER WAS ROUGH AND CHOPPY WITH WHITE CAPS.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,837 hours in all; 47 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,874 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNA WY at 7:17 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.