Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cougar, Washington 98616
Sunday, October 1, 1989 11:09 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS AIRCRAFT WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT FOLLOWING WHILE CRUISING AT 8500 FEET INBOUND TO PORTLAND, OR. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS LOOKING FOR AN OPENING TO GET DOWN THROUGH THE CLOUDS, AND LATER STARTED A DESCENT TO 6500. THE RADAR CONTROLLER NOTED THE AIRCRAFT TRACK GOING TO THE NORTH AND REQUESTED THE PILOT REPORT WHEN HEADED SOUTHBOUND AGAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT 3600 FEET, WHILE HEADED IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE ABOVE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/1/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1109
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COUGAR
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98616
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
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 Witness
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 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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6010
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41205
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGUVU
NTSB Number SEA90FA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 74-30700
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 18 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD SAWETZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5992 HOLLAND
Aircraft Owner City VANCOUVER, B.C.
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EDWARD SHWETZ
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5532 WOODCHUCK
Operator City VANCOUVER, B.C.
Operator State CD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 YVR
Departure City VANCOUVER, B.C.
Departure State CD
Departure Country
Departure Time 949
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PDX
Destination City PORTLAND
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --