Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brinnon, Washington 98320
Friday, September 20, 1985 20:28 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT COLLIDED WITH VERTICAL ROCK FACE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN 32 MINS AFTER TAKEOFF ON NIGHT VFR INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION FLT, 31 MI WEST OF POINT OF DEPARTURE. RADAR TRK SHOWS ACFT PROCEEDED NW FOR 14 MINS, REVERSED COURSE FOR 4 MINS, THEN HEADED DUE WEST INTO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. ELEV OF THE CRASH SITE WAS 3700 FT. CLOUD BASES IN THE AREA (SEA LEVEL) WERE REPORTED TO BE 3000 TO 4000 FT WITH 8 MILES VIS, SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS AND HAZE. A MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAM REPORTED ON-SITE CONDITION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED COLLISION OCCURRED WITH THE ACFT IN LEVEL CRUISE FLT. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYEDBY IMPACT FORCES AND POST-IMPACT FIRE EXCEPT FOR THE OUTER WING PANELS AND EMPENNAGE. THE ACFT WAS NOT DME EQUIPPED AND AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING HOOD WAS ON BOARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2028
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BRINNON
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98320
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2052 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 87
Weather Observation Facility ID SEA
Elevation of weather observation facility 17
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Light
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) 1673
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29049
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51698
NTSB Number SEA85LA224
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172PII
Aircraft Series Identifier 172PII
Aircraft Serial Number 17274337
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 10 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 1361
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK L. ABEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6615 S 168TH
Aircraft Owner City SEATTLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98168
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RONALD HAWKS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8490 PERIMETER RD. S.
Operator City SEATTLE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98108
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BFI
Departure City SEATTLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1956
Departure Time Zone PST
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:08AM
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 --