Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lowell, Idaho 83539
Thursday, September 24, 1992 9:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ESTABLISHED IN CRUISE AT 14,000 FEET AND 21 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE, BOTH ENGINES ABRUPTLY LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING IN SNOW AT THE TIME AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS REPORTED AS APPROXIMATELY 0 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TO 3000 FEET MSL AND DURING THE DESCENT ENGINE POWER WAS REGAINED. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE OUT OF AN UNDERCAST WITH APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET OF VERTICAL AND 1 SQUARE MILE OF LATERAL AIRSPACE IN WHICH TO MANEUVER IN, AND WITH UPSLOPING TERRAIN SURROUNDING THE AIRCRAFT THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT AN ABANDONED AIRSTRIP NEARBY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SMALL TREES WHICH HAD GROWN UP IN THE LANDING AREA. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED MOISTURE WITHIN BOTH AIR INDUCTION SYSTEMS AND DETERMINED THAT BOTH ALTERNATE AIR SYSTEMS WERE CAPABLE OF PROPER OPERATION. ADDITIONALLY, UNCONTAMINATED FUEL WAS FOUND WITHIN ALL FOUR FUEL TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

RAM INDUCTION AIR STARVATION OF BOTH ENGINES AND INABILITY OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO CLEAR TREES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE LOW CEILINGS AND TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LOWELL
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83539
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
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 834 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 235
Weather Observation Facility ID S80
Elevation of weather observation facility 3309
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 53
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2975
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 829
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47821
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9811L
NTSB Number SEA92LA214
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 320B
Aircraft Series Identifier 320B
Aircraft Serial Number 320B0011
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MCDOUGALL, BUTCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 1384
Aircraft Owner City POCATELLO
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EHRSTROM, WILLIAM H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2145 SOUTH GRANT STREET
Operator City POCATELLO
Operator State ID
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 83204
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 PIH
Departure City POCATELLO
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 720
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S86
Destination City SANDPOINT
Destination State ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --