Tooele Valley

The pilot and eight parachutists were returning from a skydive meet. The pilot had obtained a weather briefing, which advised of instrument meteorological conditions at the destination, and filed a VFR flight plan, but it was never activated. Witnesses heard, but could not see, a twin engine turboprop pass over the airport, heading north out over the Great Salt Lake. They described the weather conditions as being a low ceiling with 1/4-mile visibility, light snow, haze, and fog. They said it was almost dark. The airplane impacted the water approximately 1/2-mile off shore. It had been stripped of all avionics except for one transceiver and a handheld GPS receiver. One member of the skydive club, who had flown with the pilot, said he had previously encountered poor weather conditions and descended over the Great Salt Lake until he could see the ground, then proceeded to the airport. Another member related a similar experience, but said they descended over the Great Salt Lake in the vicinity of the accident site. The pilot was able to navigate in deteriorating weather conditions to Tooele Airport, using various landmarks. Examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers did not reveal evidence of any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

The flight departed St. George, UT, at 0100 mst enroute to Salt Lake City (SLC). A flight plan was not filed. The weather forecast was for IMC with mountain tops obscured. The pilot requested flight following from SLC center and proceeded on the airways until about 40 miles south of SLC where radar contact was lost. Upon loss of radar contact, the controller asked the pilot what his altitude was. The pilot replied that he was at 10,500 feet. That was the last contact with the flight. After repeated attempts to reestablish contact, it was determined that the aircraft had gone down. A search was begun and the wreckage was found 30 miles southwest of SLC at the 9,500 feet level of a mountain. Both occupants were killed.