Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ellensburg, Washington 98926
Thursday, January 8, 1987 11:36 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO COMMERCIALLY CERTIFICATED INSTRUMENT RATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS DEPARTED ELLENSBURG AT APPROXIMATELY 1120 PST ON A LOCAL FLIGHT. BOTH PILOTS HAD APPOINTMENTS AT 1300 HOURS PST. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN LOWER TERRAIN NEAR ELLENSBURG, HOWEVER, A SCATTERED TO OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER EXISTED AT APPROXIMATELY 5000 FEET MSL THROUGHOUT THE AREA. ADDITIONALLY, WITNESSES REPORTED FOG & OBSCURATION IN HIGHER TERRAIN THROUGHOUT THE AREA NEAR THE SITE WITHIN A FEW HOURS SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT A COURSE REVERSAL WAS BEING EXECUTED CONCURRENT WITH TREE IMPACTS AT APPROXIMATELY 4425 FEET MSL WHILE OVERFLYING RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THERE WAS NO RECORD THAT EITHER PILOT HAD RECEIVED ANY FORMAL MOUNTAIN FLYING TRAINING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/8/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1136
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City ELLENSBURG
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98926
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
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 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) 78
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 7 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32518
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N704HM
NTSB Number SEA87FA062
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 15078624
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 27 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 3720
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD V. MITCHELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1101 BOWERS ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ELLENSBURG
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98926
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 ELN
Departure City ELLENSBURG
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --