Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Snoqualmie Pass, Washington 98068
Saturday, May 6, 1995 11:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT-RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT DEPARTED FROM GIG HARBOR, WASHINGTON, ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT TO MONROE, WASHINGTON. THE AIRPLANE WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL. THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE A THOROUGH WEATHER BRIEFING FOR HIS INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT, OR FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT IFR EQUIPPED. AFTER PICKING UP HIS MOTHER AT MONROE, WASHINGTON, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THROUGH THE CASCADE MOUNTAIN RANGE UNDERNEATH LOW LYING CLOUDS ALONG A MOUNTAIN PASS EN ROUTE TO A TOWN IN EASTERN WASHINGTON. NUMEROUS GROUND WITNESSES, SOME WHO WERE PILOTS, OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING THROUGH THE PASS ABOUT 100 TO 300 FEET ABOVE AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING JUST UNDER A LAYER OF FOG AND LOW CLOUDS, WHICH SHROUDED THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER A CLOUD WHILE TURNING TO REVERSE DIRECTION. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A 75-FOOT-TALL TREE AND CAME TO REST IN STEEPLY RISING TERRAIN. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH THE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SNOQUALMIE PASS
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98068
Event Date Year 1995
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 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 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 999
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 6 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N855DA
NTSB Number SEA95FA093
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15282588
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 10 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 5156
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVIS AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1620 26TH AVENUE NW
Aircraft Owner City GIG HARBOR
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98335
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 WA38
Departure City MONROE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W01
Destination City TONASKET
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 --