Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bothell, Washington 98012
Friday, October 13, 1989 9:54 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM HIS HOME ON A VFR FLIGHT TO SNOHOMISH, WA., 7 MILES NORTH. HE DID NOT OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING OR FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALT BEFORE IMPACT ONE MILE NORTH OF THE PILOT'S HOUSE, IN RAIN, FOG, & LOW CEILING WX CONDITIONS. THE ACFT WAS FLYING IN AND OUT OF LOW CLOUDS THAT EXTENDED DOWN TO TREE TOP LEVEL. THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES AND POWER LINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO DETERMINE WEATHER CONDITIONS BEFORE THE FLIGHT, HIS ATTEMPT TO FLY VFR IN IMC, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN OBSTACLE CLEARANCE ALTITUDE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW CEILING, RAIN AND FOG WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 954
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BOTHELL
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98012
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 945 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 295
Weather Observation Facility ID PAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 603
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
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) 43
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1004
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41099
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 N8613F
NTSB Number SEA90FA005
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier 369D
Aircraft Serial Number 670127D
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Helicopter
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 Jul 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 3255
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND D. TENNEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 20304 SE 43RD
Aircraft Owner City BOTHELL
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98012
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
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
Departure City BOTHELL
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S43
Destination City SNOHOMISH
Destination State WA
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 --