Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Terrebonne, Oregon 97760
Sunday, May 12, 1996 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he encountered windshear while approaching to land at his personal airstrip. On site examination revealed that the aircraft collided with terrain, leaving a ground track distribution of only 12 feet, characteristic of a high rate of descent with little forward speed. Law enforcement personnel on site immediately following the accident reported that the winds were only gusting to approximately 7 mph. Three paramedics, who attended to the pilot on site following the accident, reported detecting the odor of alcohol on the pilot's breath. The pilot received a serious back injury during the accident and refused both a field sobriety test for alcohol as well as the drawing of a blood or urine sample for alcohol.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain altitude/clearance above terrain, while maneuvering to land. The unfavorable wind was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TERREBONNE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97760
Event Date Year 1996
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 152
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 936
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 12 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1952
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2094J
NTSB Number SEA96LA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Crescenzi
Aircraft Model KITFOX
Aircraft Series Identifier KITFOX
Aircraft Serial Number 365
Certified Max Gross Weight 960
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 185
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRESCENZI, JACK, R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address E. OR. COR. INST 2500 WESTGATE
Aircraft Owner City PENDLETON
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HELLER, DAVID, E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 70120 MCKENZIE CANYON ROAD
Operator City SISTERS
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97759
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
Departure City SISTERS
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --