Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pierce, Idaho 83546
Wednesday, July 8, 1992 9:33 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND WAS INFORMED OF MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT, RAIN SHOWERS, AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF THE FLIGHT PATH. THE PILOT HAD FILED THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT DIRECT FROM BOISE, ID, TO MCCALL, ID, TO THOMPSON FALLS, MT, TO KALISPELL, MT. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES EAST OF THE DIRECT LINE OF FLIGHT PATH IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. RADAR DATA IDENTIFIES THE FLIGHT AS MANEUVERING ON VARIOUS HEADINGS BEFORE THE FLIGHT DROPPED FROM RADAR CONTACT. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND CONFINED TO A DEEP CRATER WITH THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE CRATER'S DEEPEST POINT. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN AN APPROXIMATE 70 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/8/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 933
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PIERCE
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83546
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Moderate
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) 2581
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47306
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23LB
NTSB Number SEA92FA154
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH-837
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 2190
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SINCLAIR, RICHARD C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1500 ST. ALBANS RD
Aircraft Owner City SAN MARINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91108
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SINCLAIR, RICHARD C.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1500 ST. ALBANS RD
Operator City SAN MARINO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91108
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 BOI
Departure City BOISE
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 920
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FCA
Destination City KALISPELL
Destination State MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --