Wax Orchards Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vashon, Washington 98070
Wednesday, January 4, 1984 20:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

JUST AFTER TAKING OFF IN IMC AT NIGHT, THE ACFT CRASHED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 36. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ACFT CLIMBED AFTER TAKEOFF TO ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE THE TREES, THEN ENTERED A DESCENT & DISAPPEARED BEHIND A TREE LINE. AFTER CRASHING, THE ACFT WAS DEMOLISHED BY FIRE. NO ABNORMALITIES OF THE ACFT WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES REPORTED THERE WAS A LOW OVERCAST AT ABOUT 500 FT & OCCASIONAL LIGHT RAIN. THE ACFT WAS OVERDUE FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION & THE PLT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.142% (142 MG%).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/4/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2010
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City VASHON
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98070
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WAX ORCHARDS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WA69
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 360
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 119
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23612
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N97016
NTSB Number SEA84FA032
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 STINSON
Aircraft Model 108-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 108-1
Aircraft Serial Number 108-1016
Certified Max Gross Weight 2078
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 24 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELLIOT Z. CRABLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3625 CORNER RD.
Aircraft Owner City MODESTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95351
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MELVIN D. DEN HERDER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1231
Operator City VASHON
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98070
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 --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2010
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 Takeoff
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 36
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --