Gray Aaf Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tacoma, Washington 98433
Saturday, June 2, 1990 23:23 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A VFR FLIGHT, THE FLIGHTS INTENDED DESTINATION WAS REPORTING IFR CONDITINS. THE PILOT OPTED TO DIVERT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT THAT WAS REPORTING VFR. DURING THE DESCENT FOR LANDING ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. THE COCKPIT INTRUMENT PANEL WAS DESTROYED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE FACE OF THE ALTIMETER, HOWEVER, WAS RETRIEVED. THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE WINDOW DISPLAYED A SETTING OF 30.10 IN HG. THE LAST SETTING AIR TRAFFIC GAVE TO THE PILOT JUST PRIOR TO ACCIDENT WAS 30.02 IN HG, A DIFFERENCE OF .08 IN OR 80 FEET WHICH WOULD HAVE INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS 80 FEET HIGHER THAN ITS ACTUAL ALTITUDE ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH FOR LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH A TREE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2323
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TACOMA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98433
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRAY AAF
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GRF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 301
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2330 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID GRF
Elevation of weather observation facility 301
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 1175
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 30
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42500
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N79931
NTSB Number SEA90FA091
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 17258258
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 4625
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name L. SHEFFELS AND SONS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3149 NE BROGEN
Aircraft Owner City HILLSBORO
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97124
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GOWER FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7825 OLD HIGHWAY 99 SE
Operator City OLYMPIA
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98501
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 WA38
Departure City MONROE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2145
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OLM
Destination City OLYMPIA
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 33
Runway Length 6100
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --