Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ritzville, Washington 99169
Sunday, May 24, 1987 12:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

OCCUPANTS OF BOTH ACFT WERE FAMILY MEMBERS TRAVELING IN COMPANY FOR HOLIDAY. TAKEOFF WAS ABOUT ONE MIN APART WITH N44726 IN TRAIL. DUE HIGHER NORM CRZ PERFORMANCE, N44726 OVERTOOK N5711A. PLT OF N44726 REDUCED SPEED AND ESTABLISHED POSITION ABOUT 1/2 MILE TO RIGHT OF N5711A AT SAME ALT. PLT OF N44726 STATED HE NEXT SAW N5711A DIRECTLY IN FRONT AS COLLISION OCCURRED. EVIDENCE SHOWS N44726 SEVERED TAIL CONE FROM N5711A JUST FWD OF EMPENNAGE. N44726 WAS LANDED SAFELY DESPITE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1210
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RITZVILLE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99169
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 784
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 24 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34080
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N5711A N44726
NTSB Number SEA87FA100A SEA87FA100B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA PIPER
Aircraft Model 172 PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier 172 PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28311 7505004
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 21 1986 12:00AM Jan 11 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56 10
Airframe Hours 2301 1000
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Yes No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH L. SAGER EARL L. MORITZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 253 RT. 2, 1135 F NW
Aircraft Owner City RITZVILLE EPHRATA
Aircraft Owner State WA WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99169 98823
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code 33S 33S
Departure City RITZVILLE RITZVILLE
Departure State WA WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1205 1207
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code S62 S62
Destination City ATHOL ATHOL
Destination State ID ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --