Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Forest Grove, Oregon 97116
Saturday, April 24, 1993 16:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT IN COMMAND ATTEMPTED A NORTHERLY TAKEOFF ON A GRASS STRIP THAT WAS MUDDY AND WET. WINDS DURING THE AFTERNOON WERE SOUTHWESTERLY WITH SPEEDS IN THE TEENS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT TOOK LONGER THAN USUAL TO BECOME AIRBORNE AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT FLY OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND A TELEPHONE LINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WET TERRAIN, TAILWIND, TREES, AND WIRES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FOREST GROVE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97116
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1548 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 38
Weather Observation Facility ID HIO
Elevation of weather observation facility 204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3700
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 427
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2005
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50477
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9637P
NTSB Number SEA93LA101
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-235
Aircraft Serial Number 25-7405806
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 4454
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVENS, GERALD SR. & FERN
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2
Aircraft Owner City COLVILLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99114
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVENS, DONALD L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2022 NE 9TH AVENUE
Operator City HILLSBORO
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97124
Operator Code RWJG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1620
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 Takeoff
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 36
Runway Length 1300
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --