Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orchards, Washington 98662
Wednesday, September 18, 1985 16:56 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PVT PLT WAS OBSERVED EXECUTING A WINGS LEVEL PULL-UP FROM A DIVE DURING WHICH, THE WITNESS REPORTED, THE WING TIPS BEGAN FLUTTERING. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, BOTH WINGS SEPARATED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT AND WINDS WERE LIGHT WITH NO REPORTED TUBULENCE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-EXISTING WEAKNESS IN THE SPAR STRUCTURE AT THE SEPARATION POINT. THE CONDITION NECESSITATING THE PLT'S PULL-UP MANEUVER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1656
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ORCHARDS
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98662
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 1651 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID PDX
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1615
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1805
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28992
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 N93848
NTSB Number SEA85FA217
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415-C
Aircraft Series Identifier 415-C
Aircraft Serial Number 1171
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN R. STAUFFER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 785 NW ANGELINE
Aircraft Owner City GRESHAM
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97030
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN R. STAUFFER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 785 NW ANGELINE
Operator City GRESHAM
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97030
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 59S
Departure City VANCOUVER
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
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 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 --