Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mead, Washington 99021
Wednesday, December 13, 1995 18:16 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot's departure plans were changed, when, instead of flying direct to his originally planned destination, he was asked to pick up a passenger at another airport prior to returning home. He departed for his alternative destination in dark night conditions, leveled off at his cruise altitude and impacted the side of a mountain in level flight about 25 miles from his departure point. Air Traffic Control vectored another aircraft to the vicinity after communications and radar contact were lost. The crew of that aircraft stated that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time in the vicinity of the crash site.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance in mountainous terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were: dark night conditions, mountainous terrain, and instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/13/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1816
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City MEAD
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99021
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 12
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 1756 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID GEG
Elevation of weather observation facility 2372
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 2120
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 13 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5GM
NTSB Number SEA96FA029
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 340A
Aircraft Series Identifier 340A
Aircraft Serial Number 340A0317
Certified Max Gross Weight 5990
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 24 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CDSI HOLDINGS CO, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3701 FAIRBANKS AVE APT A1
Aircraft Owner City YAKIMA
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98902
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GEG
Departure City SPOKANE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1806
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S86
Destination City SANDPOINT
Destination State ID
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 --