Beech 35-33 accident near Lehi, Utah, December 9, 2009
On December 9, 2009 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech 35-33, registered N316Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lehi, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise flight for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2009 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lehi, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-33 · all 35-33s on the register
- Registration
- N316Z · registry record · serial CD-213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses monitoring the common traffic advisory frequency for the pilot's intended destination reported that they overheard a radio transmission “mayday mayday, I am at the point of the mountain, 5,100 feet, my engine just quit.” Witnesses located adjacent to the accident site reported observing the airplane on a westerly heading near a major interstate when it suddenly banked to the right to a northerly heading before it descended into terrain. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane came to rest upright in a grassy, snow-covered area. The fuel selector valve was observed in the “right main” fuel tank position. The wreckage recovery company reported the airplane contained sufficient quantities of aviation fuel in the left and right main fuel tanks, and a minimal amount of fuel was found in the left and right auxiliary tanks. Examination of the recovered airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The recovered engine was removed from the airframe and subsequently installed on an engine test stand. The engine was successfully run at various power settings with no anomalies noted. Due to the pilot's injuries, he reported no memory of the accident sequence.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 525 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGU St. George UT at 7:30 pm
- Destination: PVO Provo UT
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:48 pm from PVU, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.