Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salmon, Idaho 83467
Thursday, October 19, 1989 16:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THROUGH A CANYON IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT MADE A DECISION TO TURN AROUND, HOWEVER, DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF PILOT TO PROPERLY EVALUATE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND FLY AT AN ALTITUDE HIGH ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SALMON
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83467
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 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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8500
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) 1995
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 19 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2335
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41191
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75863
NTSB Number SEA90LA008
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model A75N1
Aircraft Series Identifier A75N1
Aircraft Serial Number 75-2509
Certified Max Gross Weight 2717
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 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD K. SULLIVAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 74-140 EL PASEO SUITE 367
Aircraft Owner City PALM DESERT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92260
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code U15
Departure City CHALLIS
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSD
Destination City MISSOULA
Destination State MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --