Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moose Creek, Idaho 83530
Thursday, November 20, 1986 11:12 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER DEPARTURE AND DURING THE INITIAL CRUISE CLIMB THE PLT AND PAX HEARD A METALLIC CLICKING DESCRIBED AS SOUNDING LIKE A 'VALVE TAP' IN AN AUTOMOBILE AND COMING FROM THE ENG AREA. THE PLT EXECUTED AN IMMEDIATE COURSE REVERSAL BACK TO THE AIRSTRIP WHILE STILL WITHIN THE NARROW GORGE OF THE SELWAY RIVER. THE IMMEDIACY OF THE REVERSE TURN WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PLT'S EXPECTATION OF IMPENDING MECH PROBLEM WITH THE ACFT AS WELL AS ANXIETY OF THE SITUATION AT SUCH A CRITICAL TIME DURING THE FLT. THE TURN AT A RELATIVELY LOW ALT WITHIN THE GORGE NECESSITATED A TIGHT TURN RADIUS AND THUS REDUCED THE RATE OF CLIMB IN AN ALREADY HEAVILY LOADED ACFT. THIS EVENT PLACED THE ACFT IN A POSITION WHEREBY CLEARANCE WITH THE HEAVILY WOODED UPSLOPING SIDES OF THE GORGE WAS NOT POSSIBLE. DISASSEMBLY, INSPECTION AND TESTING (WHERE POSSIBLE) OF THE ENG, PROP AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS, NOR ANY EXPLANATION FOR THE CLICKING NOISE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1112
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City MOOSE CREEK
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83530
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
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 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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2075
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 20 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1233
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32610
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7311Q
NTSB Number SEA87FA027
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 U206F
Aircraft Series Identifier U206F
Aircraft Serial Number U20602169
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 20 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 6547
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GRANGEVILLE AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 369
Aircraft Owner City GRANGEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83530
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1U1
Departure City MOOSE CREEK
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1110
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S80
Destination City GRANGEVILLE
Destination State ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --