Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Battle Mountain, Nevada 89820
Saturday, May 28, 1994 8:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHEEPHERDERS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED OBSERVING THE TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE PERFORMING LOW LEVEL MANEUVERS IN THE MOUNTAINS NEAR THEIR VICINITY. THEY LATER HEARD THE SOUND OF GROUND IMPACT. THE RESTRICTED CATEGORY AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC SURVEYING EQUIPMENT FOR LOW LEVEL AIRBORNE MAGNETIC MAPPING FOR MINERAL EXPLORATION. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON THE EASTERN SLOPE OF A BOX CANYON AT THE 7,000 FOOT ELEVATION. COMPONENTS AND GROUND SCARS WERE FOUND ALONG A 220 FOOT LONG PATH ON THE 42 TO 65 DEGREE DOWN SLOPE OF THE CANYON WALL. THE MISSION PROFILE WAS TO CONDUCT A SERIES OF LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS AT ALTITUDES RANGING FROM 200 TO 500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, ENGINES, AND TURBOCHARGERS, DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A LOW LEVEL AERIAL MAPPING FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS THE BOX CANYON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/28/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BATTLE MOUNTAIN
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89820
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 930 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 328
Weather Observation Facility ID BAM
Elevation of weather observation facility 4532
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 762
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1505
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3472Q
NTSB Number FTW94FA183
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 320E
Aircraft Series Identifier 320E
Aircraft Serial Number 320E-0072
Certified Max Gross Weight 5300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 9195
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEYSTONE AERIAL SURVEYS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 21059
Aircraft Owner City PHILADELPHIA
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19114
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 507
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --