Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pahrump, Nevada 89041
Sunday, August 2, 1987 8:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ENTERED A BOX CANYON AND ATTEMPTED TO EITHER OUTCLIMB THE TERRAIN OR REVERSE COURSE. THE AIRCRAFT'S AIRSPEED WAS ALLOWED TO DECREASE BELOW VS AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 9500 FEET EXISTED AT THE TIME. INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE PILOT TO EXECUTE A RECOVERY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PAHRUMP
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89041
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
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 847 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2174
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 9500
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1460
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1312
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34829
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8696B
NTSB Number SEA87FA152
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 36396
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES W FLEMING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1810 EDGECUMBE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SITKA
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99835
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES W. FLEMING
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1810 EDGECUMBE DRIVE
Operator City SITKA
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99835
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VGT
Destination City NORTH LAS VEGAS
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --