Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ely, Nevada 89301
Saturday, May 13, 1989 15:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT PROCEEDED INTO DETERIORATING WX CONDS AND BECAME TRAPPED IN A VALLEY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE FOLLOWING ROAD TO A MOUNTAIN PASS, HE ENCOUNTERED SNOW AND LOST GROUND CONTACT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED A BLIND COURSE REVERSAL AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO IMC. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE SNOW, OBSCURATION AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ELY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89301
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
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 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 50
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 40
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 205
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 14 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38817
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8049R
NTSB Number SEA89LA085
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model A24R
Aircraft Series Identifier A24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC44
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 1960
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES F WINFIELD
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 1921
Aircraft Owner City EVANSTON
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82930
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES F. WINFIELD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1921
Operator City EVANSTON
Operator State WY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 82931
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 EKO
Departure City ELKO
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BLD
Destination City BOULDER CITY
Destination State NV
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 --