Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lester, Washington 98035
Monday, September 4, 1989 22:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS WITH TURBULENCE AND TRACE MIXED ICING WHILE ON AN IFR FLIGHT ACROSS THE CASCADE MTNS. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED OFF COURSE AND ASSIGNED ALTITUDE BY THE ARTCC CONTROLLER, WHO ASSIGNED THE FLIGHT A BLOCK ALTITUDE CLEARANCE. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO TURBULENCE. THE ACFT ENTERED A DESCENT AND IMPACTED TREES AT 4200 FT MSL. PASSENGERS REPORTED THE PILOT WAS MAKING FULL CONTROL MOVEMENTS LEFT AND RIGHT, FORE AND AFT, AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT BECAME INVERTED DURING DESCENT. A WITNESS ON THE GROUND REPORTED LIGHT RAIN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND CLEAR SKIES JUST AFTER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE MODERATE TURBULENCE AND TRACE MIXED ICING IN CLOUDS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2210
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LESTER
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98035
Event Date Year 1989
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID SEA
Elevation of weather observation facility 420
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2014
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2220
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41210
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N44888
NTSB Number SEA89LA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 18262870
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 May 17 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 4350
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EVERGREEN FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1411 143RD PLACE NE
Aircraft Owner City BELLEVUE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98007
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EVERGREEN FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1411 143RD PLACE NE
Operator City BELLEVUE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98007
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 MWH
Departure City MOSES LAKE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2042
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RNT
Destination City RENTON
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --