Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wenatchee, Washington 98801
Saturday, September 7, 1985 9:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TWO APPLICATION RUNS, PLT APPARENTLY ATTEMPTED TO SHORTEN THE RACE-TRACK PATTERN BY INITIATING THE INBOUND TURN INTO A CANYON. ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB CLEAR OF THE CANYON WALL NEAR COMPLETION OF TURN, BUT LOAD WAS JETTISONED AT THIS POINT AND THE ACFT DESCENDED SHARPLY INTO A SECOND, NARROW CANYON JUST SHORT OF THE OBJECT CROP, WHICH WAS SITUATED ON A PLATEAU, AND IMPACTED TERRAIN, INTENSE GROUND FIRE SUBSEQUENTLY CONSUMED NON-METTALIIC STRUCTURE OF THE ACFT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED WITH HIGH VERTICAL FORCES AND LITTLE FORWARD MOMENTUN. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF ANY MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE IN THE ACFT STRUCTURE, SYSTEMS OR POWERPLANT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WENATCHEE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98801
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 9
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 851 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID EAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1245
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
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) 30
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1278
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28637
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 N7340Z
NTSB Number SEA85FA208
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-235
Aircraft Serial Number 25-3290
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 118
Airframe Hours 1261
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INLAND AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1160
Aircraft Owner City WENATCHEE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98801
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 Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Descent
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 --