Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boring, Oregon 97009
Friday, November 15, 1996 7:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was initially conducted on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan above an overcast layer of clouds. As the pilot neared the destination airport, he was told by air traffic control (ATC) that there would be a delay in issuing the pilot a clearance for an approach due to other traffic in the area. The pilot elected not to wait. He requested and received vectors to an area of known visual conditions, and then reported that he saw a 'big hole' in the clouds. He canceled his IFR clearance and told ATC that he was going to initiate a circling descent to get underneath the clouds. The airplane dropped below ATC's radar coverage and the pilot was cleared to the destination via his own navigation. About 7 minutes later, the airplane impacted rapidly rising terrain that was shrouded in thick fog.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's attempt to conduct visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions. A factor contributing to the accident was the presence of thick fog.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 740
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BORING
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97009
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
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 747 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 3
Weather Observation Facility ID TTD
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 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) 1801
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 15 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:28AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7823K
NTSB Number SEA97FA027
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier P210N
Aircraft Serial Number P21000432
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCHMID, THOMAS J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1813 WEST HARVARD BOULEVARD
Aircraft Owner City ROSEBURG
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97470
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 RBG
Departure City ROSEBURG
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TTD
Destination City TROUTDALE
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 --