Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ellensburg, Washington 98926
Sunday, September 10, 1989 17:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT ELLENSBURG AT 1230, WITH STOPS AT PULLMAN, WALLA WALLA, AND A RETURN TO ELLENSBURG. SEVEN MILES FROM THE FINAL DESTINATION THE ENGINE LOST POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. LESS THAN TWO GALLONS OF FUEL WERE DRAINED FROM THE TANKS. NO FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE LINES, AND ONLY A TRACE WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED SURFACE, TERMINAL, AND WINDS ALOFT WX INFO VIA A HOME COMPUTER. THE SAME WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED WAS USED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN CURRENT IN-FLIGHT WIND INFORMATION IN ORDER TO CALCULATE THAT HIS REMAINING FUEL SUPPLY WAS ADEQUATE TO REACH HIS FINAL DESTINATION. CONTRIBUTING WAS HIS INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ELLENSBURG
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98926
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by briefer
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1816
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40873
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25228
NTSB Number SEA89LA169
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15280543
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MID-STATE AIVATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1101 BOWERS RD
Operator City ELLENSBURG
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98926
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 ALW
Departure City WALLA WALLA
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ELN
Destination City ELLENSBURG
Destination State WA
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 --