Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vernonia, Oregon 97064
Monday, July 20, 1998 14:24 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed about 1030 on a 57-nautical-mile visual flight rules (VFR) flight, and failed to arrive at his destination. The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered about 1424 by a private landowner approximately 37 nautical miles from the departure airport, generally on the direct route from the departure point to the destination. The pilot was dead at the scene. The aircraft had impacted into a tree farm at approximately a 20- to 40-degree impact angle on a southeasterly track (the direct route from the departure point to the destination is northeasterly), and its nose section had separated during the impact sequence. Examinations of the wreckage disclosed no conclusive evidence of pre-impact mechanical problems with the aircraft. Autopsy of the pilot, who held a valid and current FAA third-class medical certificate, disclosed arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease as a contributing cause of death, with focal severe (greater than 90% occlusion) left anterior descending coronary artery atherosclerosis. It could not be conclusively established that the pilot had become incapacitated inflight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of aircraft control for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1424
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VERNONIA
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97064
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
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 1053 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 134
Weather Observation Facility ID HIO
Elevation of weather observation facility 204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1491
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1505
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31066
NTSB Number SEA98LA145
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 Baggarley
Aircraft Model GLASAIR II-FT
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASAIR II
Aircraft Serial Number 1001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1700
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND W. BAGGARLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8245 BURBANK RD.
Aircraft Owner City TILLAMOOK
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97141
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 S47
Departure City TILLAMOOK
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KLS
Destination City KELSO
Destination State WA
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 --