Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chemult, Oregon 97470
Monday, June 12, 1989 16:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & PASSENGER WERE CONDUCTING AN EAGLE SURVEY FLT. THEY MADE A PASS OVER AN EAGLE'S NEST, NORTH OF LEMOLO LAKE TO COUNT NEWLY HATCHED EAGLETS, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLT DESCENDED TO ABOUT 400 FT AGL & WAS ON THE 2ND PASS, WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS. HE SAID HE APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP A RAPID DESCENT IN TIME TO AVOID IMPACT WITH TREES. THE TERRAIN IN THAT AREA SLOPED UPWARD TO THE NORTH TO A BUTTE. ABOUT 52 MI WEST AT ROSEBURG, OR, THE 1548 PDT WIND WAS FROM 340 DEG AT 8 KTS. DENSITY ALT AT THE ACDNT SITE WAS COMPUTED TO BE 5570 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A SUDDEN ALTITUDE DEVIATION, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE DOWNDRAFTS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, THE PILOT DIVERTING ATTENTION, AND THE TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CHEMULT
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97470
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1548 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID RBG
Elevation of weather observation facility 440
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 52
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5570
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 885
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40397
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 N1365E
NTSB Number SEA89LA110
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17270970
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jun 12 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 148
Airframe Hours 2171
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HEDLUND CONTRACTORS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 416 N DOWNING
Aircraft Owner City SEASIDE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97138
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAUL CAP
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5211 S.W. VIEW POINT TERRACE
Operator City PORTLAND
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97201
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S21
Departure City SUNRIVER
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LMT
Destination City KLAMATH FALLS
Destination State OR
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 --