Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paradise, Washington 98398
Monday, September 5, 1994 15:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NEWLY RATED PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CROSS A RIDGE. HOWEVER, PASSENGERS AND WITNESSES STATED THE PILOT MAINTAINED VERY LOW ALTITUDE THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT. PASSENGERS REPORTED THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE INTO A MOUNTAINOUS DRAINAGE WHERE THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES, THEN IMPACTED TERRAIN. THE GRADIENT OF THE TERRAIN WAS DETERMINED TO EXCEED THE CLIMB GRADIENT CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PROPER ALTITUDE WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PARADISE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98398
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
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 1450 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 92
Weather Observation Facility ID YKM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1095
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6465
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1993
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 5 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4628L
NTSB Number SEA94LA231
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 172-54623
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 6380
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLOUD DODGERS FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13414 ASHWAY
Aircraft Owner City EVERETT
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98204
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 55S
Departure City PACKWOOD
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAE
Destination City EVERETT
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --