Sisters Eagle Air Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sisters, Oregon 97759
Sunday, September 29, 1991 12:26 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES RPRTD THE PLTS HAD DIFFICULTY LOCATING THE ARPT. AFTER LNDG, THEY ELECTED TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 2, TOWARD TREES & RISING TRRN. ABT 17 MI EAST AT REDMAN, OR, THE 1215 WX WAS, IN PART: SKY CLEAR, VIS 10 MI, WIND FM 030 DEG AT 4 KTS. AT SISTERS, OR, THE DENSITY ALT WAS ABT 5500 FT. WITNESSES NOTED THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS TAXIED ONTO THE APCH END OF THE RWY, THEN TAXIED DOWN THE RWY ABT 100 FT BEFORE STARTING A ROLLING TAKEOFF. THERE WERE INDCNS THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLR A RIDGE BEYOND THE DEP END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT STRUCK TREES ABT 50 FT AGL & CRASHED. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ENG WAS RUNNING AT HI POWER UNTIL IMPACT. ALSO, WITNESSES RPRTD THAT PILOTS, WHO WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT, FAVORED RWY 20 DRG CALM OR LIGHT WINDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT(S), AND FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT(S) FAILURE TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RISING TERRAIN AND TREES BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1226
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SISTERS
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97759
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SISTERS EAGLE AIR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6K5
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 4
Airport Elevation 3168
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1215 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 82
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2172
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45784
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1404X
NTSB Number SEA91FA255
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 LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-250
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-250
Aircraft Serial Number 44
Certified Max Gross Weight 3140
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 6 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 121
Airframe Hours 326
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STUART W. MOORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7227 NW PENRIDGE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97229
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STUART W. MOORE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7227 NW PENRIDGE ROAD
Operator City PORTLAND
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97229
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1225
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HIO
Destination City HILLSBORO
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 3550
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --