Salt Lake City - Vernal

On August 21, 1985 at 06:51 AM, Salt Lake City - Vernal experienced a crash involving Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, operated by California Air Charter - Cal Air Charter, with the event recorded near Vernal Utah.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot cancelled his IFR plan and began descent from 13,000 feet in preparation for landing at Vernal, UT. The aircraft impacted ground in wings level attitude under power. Pilot was seriously burned by postcrash ground fire. Investigation revealed no evidence of flight control failure prior to impact. It was learned pilot had flown small aircraft from Salt Lake City to Price, UT, and to Pierre, SD, the day before the accident. Pilot returned to Salt Lake City at 0200 on day of accident. Accident flight departed Salt Lake City at 0600. FAA physician opined that pilot was asleep at impact. Aircraft was flying into rising sun.

Aircraft reference details include registration N7497L, MSN 31-7300928, year of manufacture 1973.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 40.4557°, -109.5285°.