Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gerlach, Nevada 89412
Sunday, June 11, 1989 20:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LANDED ON AN OPEN AREA TO PICK UP FIRE WOOD FOR A CAMPING TRIP. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER IN MUD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT BY SELECTING UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. AS A RESULT, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE SOFT TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City GERLACH
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89412
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 73
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 662
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40036
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2873C
NTSB Number SEA89LA108
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 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 26416
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOMACK, LEWIS G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 176
Aircraft Owner City PORTOLA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96122
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DARDEN, ELIZABETH D.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 1610 FRENCH HILL RD.
Operator City JOHNSON
Operator State VT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 05656
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 002
Departure City BECKWOURTH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NV05
Destination City SOLDIERS MEADOW
Destination State NV
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 --