Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sisters, Oregon 97759
Tuesady, October 20, 1992 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE RENTED CESSNA 150 MADE A NUMBER OF PASSES OVER THE ELK HUNTING CAMP IN AN AREA WERE THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS OVER 7000 FEET. HE REPORTED THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TURBULENCE IN THE AREA, THE WINDS MUST HAVE BEEN FAIRLY STRONG BECAUSE THE GROUNDSPEED OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT ON EACH PASS, DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING. ON THE LAST PASS, THE PILOT ADDED POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO OUTCLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING AT 800 FEET PER MINUTE WHILE AT FULL POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT DECISION. FACTORS INCLUDE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN, TREES, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND DOWNDRAFTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SISTERS
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97759
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1400 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7100
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2935
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 20 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47781
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19092
NTSB Number SEA93LA006
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15074262
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Sep 5 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 1414
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BUTLER AIRCRAFT COMPANY INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 338
Aircraft Owner City REDMOND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97756
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BUTLER AIRCRAFT COMPANY INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 338
Operator City REDMOND
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97756
Operator Code GCVC
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 RDM
Departure City REDMOND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1232
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 10:35AM
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 --