Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grangeville, Idaho 83530
Sunday, April 14, 1991 19:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND RAIN SHOWERS ON A VFR FLT THRU REMOTE HIGH ALT MT. TERRAIN. THE PILOT INADVERTANTLY ENTERED A BOX CANYON AND ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE COURSE. THE ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE CANYON AT 7100 FT MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE PILOT TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT IN IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, RESULTING IN PILOT DISORIENTATION AND INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO A BOX CANYON. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE RAIN SHOWERS AND LOW CEILING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE BOX CANYON IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GRANGEVILLE
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83530
Event Date Year 1991
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 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 4500
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
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) 28
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 587
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44379
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5539X
NTSB Number SEA91LA260
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model S-2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S-2R
Aircraft Serial Number 1739
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 21 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6490
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVE W. KELSEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 664 SOUTH, 2000 WEST
Aircraft Owner City REXBURG
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83440
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVE W. KELSEY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 664 SOUTH, 2000 WEST
Operator City REXBURG
Operator State ID
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 83440
Operator Code TZJG
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SMN
Departure City SALMON
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 --