Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gold Bar, Washington 98251
Wednesday, January 29, 1992 21:43 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-23-180 DEPARTED THE CONTROLLED FIELD FOR A FLIGHT TO A DESTINATION WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. THE FLIGHT, WHICH HAD BEEN DELAYED FOR WEATHER, DEPARTED AFTER DARK. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, THE PLANNED ROUTE WAS FORECAST TO HAVE OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS AND VARIABLE CEILINGS. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT HEADED NORTH TOWARD HIS DESTINATION, AND OPENED HIS VFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN A SLOW RIGHT TURN TO AN EASTERLY HEADING, AND CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL FOR FLIGHT FOLLOWING. AFTER BEING GIVEN A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE, THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WOULD BE PROCEEDING NORTH AT WHATEVER ALTITUDE WOULD KEEP HIM OUT OF THE CLOUDS. BUT, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY IN AN EASTERLY TO NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION, AND IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN RIDGE APPROXIMATELY SIX MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL CONTACT WITH APPROACH CONTROL. PRIOR TO IMPACT THE PILOT DID NOT INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT, OR WITH NAVIGATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT BECOMING INADVERTENTLY LOST/DISORIENTED. THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/29/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2143
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GOLD BAR
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98251
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2045 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID PAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6001
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46257
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CFDFV
NTSB Number SEA92FA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-180
Aircraft Serial Number 23-1924
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 10 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 6654
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VALDIVIA ENTERPRISES LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR-4, SITE-Q4, COMP-27
Aircraft Owner City NANAIMO B.C.
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode V9T4X9
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AVIATE AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR-4, SITE-Q4, COMP-27
Operator City NANAIMO B.C.
Operator State CD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code V9T4X9
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BFI
Departure City SEATTLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2128
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WA33
Destination City LYNDEN
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --