N24741

On December 29, 1994, approximately 1350 mountain standard time, a Cessna 152, N24741, impacted the terrain while on a flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Provo, Utah. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which departed Salt Lake Municipal #2 about 30 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot, while en route to the Provo area he got off course and entered unfamiliar mountainous terrain. Because of variable ceilings and visibility in the area, the pilot attempted to continue to his destination by maneuvering at low level. While attempting to clear a ridge, the aircraft collided with something on the ground, and sustained substantial damage to the area around the elevator. The pilot was able to keep the aircraft in the air, but experienced great difficulty with directional control. For about two minutes after the collision, the pilot attempted to fly out of the area, but ultimately elected to put the aircraft down in the scrub brush covered terrain.