Bowers Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ellensburg, Washington 98926
Monday, May 21, 1990 16:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM ELLENSBURG AIRPORT AND WAS CLIMBING ON DOWNWIND WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY FOR THE EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ROUGH TERRAIN OFF THE AIRPORT, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATE MODERATE TO SEVERE CARB ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED. THE PILOT HAD NOT APPLIED CARB HEAT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING, CAUSED BY THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE CARBURETOR ICING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ELLENSBURG
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98926
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOWERS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELN
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 1766
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID SMP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3950
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2436
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) 405
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41340
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3229Z
NTSB Number SEA90LA082
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 ROBERT VAN SCOYOC
Aircraft Model SONERIA IIL
Aircraft Series Identifier SONERIA II
Aircraft Serial Number 1023
Certified Max Gross Weight 920
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 29 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 123
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCOTT D. ANDERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1972 HARTLEY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City DULUTH
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55803
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1605
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FHR
Destination City FRIDAY HARBOR
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --