Klamath Falls Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601
Thursday, June 17, 1999 15:34 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot added 1 quart of oil to the engine during preflight, but forgot to replace the oil filler cap. Immediately after takeoff from runway 14, the pilot noted oil on the top of the engine cowling and the windscreen. The pilot then requested an immediate return and was cleared to land on any runway. The pilot made a '60 [degree] left turn to runway 25' and attempted a landing with the 'engine...running roughly', but he stated that 'due to altitude' he was unable to make it back to the runway. The aircraft landed at about a 45-degree angle just to the north side of the runway in the dirt area. The landing was sufficiently hard to punch the right main landing gear through the top of the right wing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to reinstall the engine oil filler cap during preflight, resulting in engine oil loss and the necessity for an immediate landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1534
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City KLAMATH FALLS
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97601
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KLAMATH FALLS INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LMT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4092
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LMT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4092
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 370
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 17 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1728
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N870DR
NTSB Number SEA99LA088
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 Ryan
Aircraft Model NAVION B
Aircraft Series Identifier NAVION B
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-2190-B
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 3766
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT DOUGLAS WHITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 75
Aircraft Owner City CHILOQUIN
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97624
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code LMT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1534
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VCB
Destination City VACAVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 25
Runway Length 4972
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --