Benham (Private) Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coquille, Oregon 97423
Wednesday, June 5, 1996 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that while on an approach to the airport, he checked the wind sock, saw a tail wind, and decided to go around, 'but was unable to climb out in time to clear trees.' The airplane crashed into trees beyond the departure end of the runway about 520 feet above the airport elevation. The runway at the airport was 1,700 feet long. The pilot stated that he believed he had waited too long to go around, and he indicated that mechanical malfunction or failure was not involved in the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate evaluation of wind conditions, and his subsequent failure to initiate a go-around in a timely manner, which resulted in his inability to maintain clearance with trees during the go-around. Factors relating to the accident included a tail wind condition, a short runway, and hilly terrain beyond the departure end of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1996
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COQUILLE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97423
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BENHAM (PRIVATE)
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 280
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1109
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 5 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9875L
NTSB Number SEA96LA111
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 Grumman American
Aircraft Model AA-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-1B
Aircraft Serial Number AA1B-0475
Certified Max Gross Weight 1560
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 May 20 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1656
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. HORTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1801 GEMINI DR.
Aircraft Owner City LA GRANDE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97850
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD V. BREWSTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 111 S. GREENFIELD RD. #61
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85206
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 OTH
Departure City NORTH BEND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
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 12
Runway Length 1700
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --