Bowers Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ellensburg, Washington 98926
Sunday, July 17, 1983 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS SUBJECTED TO A GUSTY TAILWIND JUST BEFORE TAKEOFF AND THE ACFT STARTED TO SKIP AND SKID WITH THE NOSE TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STARTED ABORT PROCEDURES AND SAID THE TAIL OF THE ACFT CONTINUED TO RISE UNTIL THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AT THEACCIDENT SITE. WEATHER DATA REMARKS SHOW CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS TO THE WEST OF THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ELLENSBURG
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98926
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOWERS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELN
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 1766
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1648 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID YKM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 8
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 561
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20823
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 N3033A
NTSB Number SEA83LA151
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 25677
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 30 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 3894
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R. L. SMITHHART, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 29226 176TH S.E.
Aircraft Owner City KENT
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98031
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BFI
Destination City SEATTLE
Destination State WA
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 7
Runway Length 5847
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --