Evergreen Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vancouver, Washington 98684
Sunday, November 19, 1989 7:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT AND THE ACFT CRASHED ONE MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. WITNESSES REPORTED DENSE FOG AND VISIBILITY OF 1/2 MILE OR LESS. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN OR OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING FOR THE FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, PILOT'S ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT QUALIFICATIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOW CEILING, FOG AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 750
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City VANCOUVER
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98684
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EVERGREEN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 59S
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 285
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID PDX
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 950
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1977
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 19 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41173
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8289P
NTSB Number SEA90FA019
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3542
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 12 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 2966
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KERMIT D. BUELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4106 N. RUSSET
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97205
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 S59
Departure City VANCOUVER
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 748
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 62S
Destination City CHR'MAS VALLEY
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
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 --