Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blyn, Washington 98382
Saturday, January 14, 1995 4:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SEQUIN, WA IN VFR CONDITIONS TOWARDS A CLOUD BANK, AT NIGHT, TURNING SOUTH TOWARDS UPSLOPING TERRAIN. A MODE C RADAR TRACK SHOWED A CLIMB TO 2,600 FT MSL, FOLLOWED BY A DESCENT BACK TO 2,200 FT. THE TRACK SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT PASSING OVER A 2,018-FT HILL, FORESTED WITH 100-FT OR MORE CONIFER TREES, AND THEN EXECUTING A 360 DEG LEFT TURN, ACCOMPLISHED IN 1.5 MIN, WHILE MAINTAINING 2,200 FT. IN THE TURN THE PILOT CALLED APPROACH DECLARING A 'STRUCTURAL PROBLEM.' THE SURVIVOR REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT IN 'TURBULENCE,' IN CONDITIONS THAT WERE 'THICK AND GRAY,' AND THAT THE PILOT WAS 'WORKING HARD TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT' APPROX 1 MIN BEFORE THE CRASH. A LEADING EDGE IMPACT ON THE LEFT WING WAS CONSISTENT WITH A WINGS LEVEL, FLAT AIRCRAFT ATTITUDE COLLISION WITH THE 2-IN DIAM CONIFER TREETOP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS 25 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES TESTED POSITIVE FOR TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (MARIHUANA); 0.003 UG/ML BLOOD, 0.038 UG/ML URINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/14/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 440
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BLYN
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98382
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
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 450 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID CLM
Elevation of weather observation facility 288
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
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) 0.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 546
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 14 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 455
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1535E
NTSB Number SEA95FA037
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17271039
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 22 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 3394
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SALLEE, GARY, J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7941B SOUTH CHADBOURNE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84121
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COASTAL AIRWAYS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 468 DOROTHY HUNT LANE
Operator City SEQUIM
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98382
Operator Code XQVA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code WN41
Departure City SEQUIM
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 427
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SEA
Destination City SEATTLE
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --