Leavenworth Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leavenworth, Washington 98826
Sunday, July 29, 1990 20:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE MODIFIED PIPER PA-22 WAITED AT THE AIRSTRIP UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE COOLED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BEFORE DUSK. HE STATED THAT HE USED FULL FLAPS FOR CLIMBOUT, A TECHNIQUE WHICH HE BELIEVED TO BE RECOMMENDED BY THE OWNER'S HANDBOOK. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE AIRSTRIP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT IN PREFLIGHT PLANNING WHEN DEPARTING TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE HIS DECISION TO ATTEMPT A CLIMB-OUT WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED, AND THE MINIMAL PERFORMANCE DATA AVAILABLE TO HIM UPON WHICH HE COULD BASE HIS DECISION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LEAVENWORTH
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98826
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LEAVENWORTH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WA32
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 1936
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Dusk
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3300
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 955
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42126
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9978D
NTSB Number SEA90FA149
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-150
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6769
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Sep 22 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 3176
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID E. DEMARAY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 35 146TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City LYNWOOD
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98037
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 WA32
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S13
Destination City MARTHA'S LAKE
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 27
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --