Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nez Perce, Idaho 83543
Friday, July 13, 2001 18:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

When the aircraft did not return from an aerial application flight, a search of the area began. The aircraft was located in an open flat to rolling wheat field about two miles from the airport. Impact signatures indicate that the aircraft collided with the terrain in a nose low attitude. A local resident who knew the pilot and aircraft reported that she observed the aircraft headed to the southwest and that "he (the pilot) wasn't flying right..." and that "...he was slowly descending and his right wing would dip down then up then down then up. His plane was never flying steady like normal." No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found. No evidence of pilot incapacitation was found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Nez Perce
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83543
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
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 1756 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID LWS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1438
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 11546
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1856
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2002 1:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spokane, Washington

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5011X
NTSB Number SEA01LA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rockwell International
Aircraft Model S-2R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5044R
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 2 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7782
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Stanley Bybee
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1597 Bybee Lane
Aircraft Owner City Nyssa
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97913
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Craigmont Air Service
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 280
Operator City Craigmont
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83523
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S89
Departure City Craigmont
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2002 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --