Ephrata Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ephrata, Washington 98823
Saturday, November 26, 1983 14:11 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A HILLTOP DURING A MISSED APPROACH IN IMC WEATHER. THE ACFT WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. THE PLT STATED VISUAL CONTACT WAS EST AT ABOUT 2000 FT MSL BUT GROUND FEATURES WERE MASKED IN SNOW. WHEN THE PLT DID NOT SEE THE AIRPORT AT THE PROPER TIME HE COMMENCED A MISSED APPROACH AND THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE OBS(VOR COURSE INDICATOR) WAS SET ON 222 DEGREES INSTEAD OF 202 DEGREES FOR THE PUBLISHED INBOUND HEADING. THE RESULTANT COURSE PASSED DIRECTLY OVER THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ACFT WAS NOT OBSERVED ON RADAR BECAUSE OF ITS LOW ALT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1411
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City EPHRATA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98823
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EPHRATA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EPH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 1272
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID EPH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1272
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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 Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2062
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22413
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N98567
NTSB Number SEA84FA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 304A
Aircraft Series Identifier 304A
Aircraft Serial Number 0036
Certified Max Gross Weight 5990
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 16 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 1951
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 100 W. HARRISON
Aircraft Owner City SEATTLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98119
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 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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BFI
Departure City SEATTLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1228
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2SO
Destination City TWISP
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 29
Runway Length 7300
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --