Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cottonwood, Idaho 83522
Wednesday, February 8, 1989 13:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS MAKING PRACTICE AERIAL APPLICATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR HIS CFR 137 CERTIFICATION. THE MAIN GEAR CONTACTED THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN DURING A LOW LEVEL MANEUVER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CARTWHEELED. THE PILOT REPORTED ONLY TWO HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGING HIS ALTITUDE DUE TO THE WHITE OUT CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOTS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS AIRCRAFT AND THIS TYPE OF OPERATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City COTTONWOOD
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83522
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
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 3
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 0
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 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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
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) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 100
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38293
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5620X
NTSB Number SEA89LA048
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 AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model S2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R
Aircraft Serial Number 1820R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JEROME W. FOX
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 23
Aircraft Owner City FENN
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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
Departure City GRANGEVILLE
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --