Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Fork, Idaho 83635
Saturday, August 21, 1993 11:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REFUELED. WHEN IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING STOLEN, THE PILOT HURRIEDLY RETURNED TO THE PLANE, STARTED THE ENGINE, TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY, & MADE AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN CLIMBING NORTH TOWARD MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH A STEEP/WOODED SLOPE IN THE MOUNTAINS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. LOCAL PILOTS REPORTED THAT THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 68 MG/DL (0.068%) IN HIS BLOOD, 89 MG/DL (0.089%) IN INVITREOUS FLUID, & 115 MG/DL (0.115%) IN HIS URINE, AND 0.147 UG/ML OF ALPRAZOLAM IN HIS BLOOD. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE PILOT'S SEAT BELT WAS NOT USED; HIS BODY WAS EJECTED FROM THE AIRPLANE DURING IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR JUDGMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL AND A DRUG, HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE (OR ALTITUDE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH (MOUNTAINOUS) TERRAIN, AND THE LOW CLOUDS/CEILING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LAKE FORK
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83635
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 Witness
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 2024
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75644
NTSB Number SEA93FA179
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17267870
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 3490
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name T CRAFT AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 413
Aircraft Owner City NAMPA
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83651
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name T CRAFT AERO CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 413
Operator City NAMPA
Operator State ID
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 83651
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 U70
Departure City CASCADE
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
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 --