Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corvallis, Oregon 97330
Sunday, November 5, 2000 20:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot, who made a dark-night departure from a controlled airport, was returning to the non-controlled airport from which he had initiated his round-robin flight about three hours earlier. While en route, at an altitude that was approximately 500 feet below a broken to overcast ceiling, he initiated a turn that took him toward rising terrain. While still in cruise flight, the aircraft collided with trees about 150 feet below the summit of a heavily forested ridge.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the terrain. Factors include a dark night, densely forested, hilly terrain near the planned route of flight, and low ceilings in the area of the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/5/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2005
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CORVALLIS
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97330
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 11
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2010 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID RVI
Elevation of weather observation facility 250
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1018
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Nov 6 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2001 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53301
NTSB Number SEA01FA015
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 83530
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 28 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 165
Airframe Hours 6506
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INDEPENDENCE AIRCRAFT LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4705 AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City INDEPENDENCE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97351
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 No
Departure Airport Code EUG
Departure City EUGENE
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1940
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 7S5
Destination City INDEPENDENCE
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2001 4:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --