Aircraft Impacts Ridgeline And Flips

A search for elk in Utah came to an abrupt end Wednesday when a Cessna 172 Skyhawk struck a ridgeline while trying to exit a canyon.

Kim Jennings hired pilot Spence Loveless to conduct an aerial search for elk in Book Cliffs in rural Grand County, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

As they were coming up out of the canyon in the Santio Knolls area, Loveless realized they would not be able to clear the ridgeline and tried to return to the canyon, but not before the aircraft struck the ground and flipped.

Both men walked away without major injury.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 8945V        Make/Model: C172      Description: 172, P172, R172, Skyhawk, Hawk XP, Cutla
  Date: 09/05/2007     Time: 1430

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: GRAND COUNTY   State: UT   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES INTO THE BOOK CLIFF MOUNTAIN
  AREA, GRAND CITY, UT

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SALT LAKE CITY, UT  (NM07)            Entry date: 09/06/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov