Sheridan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheridan, Oregon 97378
Monday, July 9, 1990 11:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE END OF A FLIGHT, WHILE APPROACHING THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPILOT. THE DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL LEGS OF THE PATTERN WERE NORMAL, UNTIL WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY NOSED UP AND BANKED RIGHT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, HOWEVER, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AND LANDED AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PILOT FELT THAT THE AUTOPILOT SELF ENGAGED ITSELF. TESTING OF THE AUTOPILOT DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS TO INDICATE A SELF ENGAGEMENT. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LOCATION OF THE AUTOPILOT IN THE AIRPLANE WAS TWO INCHES LOWER THAN THE STC RECOMMENDED AND THAT THE ENGAGE BUTTON IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE FLAP HANDLE AND ENGINE CONTROLS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADVERTENT ENGAGEMENT OF THE AUTOPILOT DURING THE FLARE FOR LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SHERIDAN
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97378
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 SHERIDAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4452
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 215
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1100
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 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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1170
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42495
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 N4784U
NTSB Number SEA90LA141
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model TU206G
Aircraft Series Identifier TU206G
Aircraft Serial Number U20605101
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 23 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 1042
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCHROEDER, SUSAN P.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 175 HILLCREST RD.
Aircraft Owner City LEWISTON
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83501
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 No
Departure Airport Code LWS
Departure City LEWISTON
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 7
Runway Length 2880
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --