Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hood River, Oregon 97031
Saturday, September 15, 1990 20:22 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE RECENTLY CERT PRIVATE PILOT WHO WAS NOT RATED FOR INST FLT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT ON A VFR X-COUNTRY FLT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN IMC WX. WHEN THE FLT ENCOUNTERED ADVERSE WX, THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN LONG AND THE PILOT ANNOUNCED ON UNICOM THAT HE WAS MAKING A GO-AROUND. THE ACFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200 FT AGL, STALLED AND DESCENDED NOSE DOWN UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. SKY WAS OVERCAST AND MODERATE RAIN WAS FALLING. THERE WAS NO ARTIFICIAL LIGHT IN THE DIRECTION OF FLT. THE PILOT HAD 5 HRS NIGHT TIME AND NONE OUTSIDE A LIGHTED METRO AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S ENCOUNTERING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2022
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HOOD RIVER
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97031
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 631
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2048 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID DLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 243
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1051
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 1178
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42503
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5332K
NTSB Number SEA90FA183
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172-P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172-P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274068
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Sep 6 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 4685
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WINGS ALOFT, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8467 PERIMETER ROAD S.
Operator City SEATTLE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98108
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 DLS
Departure City THE DALLES
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1950
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BFI
Destination City SEATTLE
Destination State WA
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --