Johnson Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yellow Pine, Idaho 83638
Wednesday, September 25, 2002 14:08 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The cross-country flight originated from New Mexico on the morning of the accident. The private pilot's final destination was the accident airport, with intermediate stops for fuel in Utah, and Idaho. Reportedly, the pilot and passenger were planning on camping at the accident airport and returning to Albuquerque later in the week. The airport is located in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 4,933 feet above sea level. The Airport/Facilities Directory (A/FD) recommends landing on runway 17 and takeoff on runway 35 due to rising terrain south of runway 17. The aircraft wreckage was located approximately 900 feet beyond the departure end of runway 17. Multiple trees with fresh scarring were noted beyond the departure end of the runway approximately 230 feet north of the wreckage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees. A factor was trees south of the departure end of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1408
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Yellow Pine
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83638
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 445418N
Event Location Longitude 1152913W
Event Location Airport JOHNSON CREEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3U2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.17
Degrees magnetic from airport 170
Airport Elevation 4933
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID KMYL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5020
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) 6045
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12873
NTSB Notification Source FAA-REGIONAL OPERATIONS
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2003 4:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boise, Idaho

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7027W
NTSB Number SEA02FA180
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-711
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 May 4 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2654
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Alan S. Coffey
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Rio Rancho
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87174
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 LLJ
Departure City Challis
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1304
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3U2
Destination City Yellow Pine
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2002 7:05PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --