Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chewelah, Washington 99109
Monday, May 20, 1985 9:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING UP A CANYON AT LOW ALTITUDE WHILE CLIMBING AT AN ANGLE EQUIVALENT TO THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN SLOPE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED STEEPLY UPSLOPING TERRAIN AND BEGAN IMPACTING TREES IN A LEFT WING HIGH AND NOSE UP ATTITUDE WHILE STILL UNDER POWER. THERE WAS NOT EVIDENCE OF ANY POWERPLANT MALFUNCTION. THE WIFE OF THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT POSSESS ANY EXPERIENCE FLYING IN AND AROUND THE TERRAIN NEAR THE ACCIDENT AREA. THE DENSITY ALT AT THE ACCIDENT WAS ESTIMATED AT 6500 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CHEWELAH
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99109
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1035 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 279
Weather Observation Facility ID 63S
Elevation of weather observation facility 1878
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 759
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 20 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27981
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N125ZL
NTSB Number SEA85FA120
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 205
Aircraft Series Identifier 205
Aircraft Serial Number 2050037
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 16 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ZEPH LANE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1926 SOUTH COURT STREET
Aircraft Owner City VISALIA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93277
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 63S
Departure City COLVILLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --