Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palouse, Washington 99161
Tuesady, July 5, 1994 10:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE FROM ONE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP TO ANOTHER A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ROLLING TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE HEARD AN AIRPLANE CIRCLING THE AREA, THEN HE HEARD A THUD. WHEN HE WENT TO INVESTIGATE, THE AREA WAS COVERED WITH DENSE FOG AND VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED TO 75 FEET. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADVERTENT DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT AFTER ENTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FOG WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PALOUSE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99161
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 75
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1650
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5833T
NTSB Number SEA94FA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 185C
Aircraft Series Identifier 185C
Aircraft Serial Number 1850733
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 6 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEAL, DENNIS A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HCR 1 BOX 50
Aircraft Owner City TENSED
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83870
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TEAL, DENNIS A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HCR 1 BOX 50
Operator City TENSED
Operator State ID
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 83870
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City TENSED
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State WA
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 --