Dunsmuir-Mott Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dunsmuir, California 96025
Wednesday, August 5, 1992 10:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM AN UPSLOPE RUNWAY WITH A 4 KNOT TAILWIND WITH A HEAVILY LOADED AIRPLANE. THE AIRCRAFT USED ALL BUT A 100 FEET OF THE RUNWAY TO LIFT OFF. THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO CLIMB AFTER IT LIFTED OFF AND COLLIDED WITH A LARGE FIR TREE ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. INVESTIGATORS FOUND THE THROTTLE IN THE FULL POWER POSITION AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN THE FULL RICH POSITION. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 5,900 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL AND THE RUNWAY'S GRADIENT WAS A PLUS 1.11 PERCENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM ANY PREFLIGHT PLANNING OR PREPARATION AND SELECTED THE WRONG RUNWAY. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE EXISTING TAILWIND, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City DUNSMUIR
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96025
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DUNSMUIR-MOTT MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1O6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 320
Airport Elevation 3258
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 5900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2714
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1140
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47622
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99585
NTSB Number LAX92LA335
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 Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415C
Aircraft Series Identifier 415C
Aircraft Serial Number 2208
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 3002
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RYAN, TERRY W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 43
Aircraft Owner City PHILO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95466
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RYAN, TERRY W.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 43
Operator City PHILO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95466
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1014
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Q17
Destination City BOONEVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 32
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --