Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brinnon, Washington 98320
Tuesady, June 20, 1995 17:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL AND ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND REQUESTED VECTORS. THE CONTROLLER RESPONDED TO THE PILOT BY INFORMING HIM TO REMAIN VFR AND UTILIZE HIS OWN NAVIGATION. RADAR DATA INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADING TOWARD MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AT A LEVEL ALTITUDE, AND 153 KNOTS WHEN THE TARGET WAS LOST NEAR THE MOUNTAINS. WRECKAGE DOCUMENTATION INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT A HIGH SPEED AND ON THE APPROXIMATE HEADING AND ALTITUDE AS THE LAST RADAR TARGET. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE 3,200-FOOT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN. A WITNESS IN THE AREA REPORTED THAT THE MOUNTAINS WERE COMPLETELY OBSCURED WITH CLOUDS AND VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE MOUNTAINS AND THE CLOUDS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BRINNON
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98320
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
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 1715 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 138
Weather Observation Facility ID PWT
Elevation of weather observation facility 439
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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) --
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) 1187
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20239
NTSB Number SEA95FA137
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-1337
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 4 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2622
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD E. ELSEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 20419 ATASCOCITA SHORES
Aircraft Owner City HUMBLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77346
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 O39
Departure City PORT TOWNSEND
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EUG
Destination City EUGENE
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --