Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
White Bird, Idaho 83554
Thursday, July 17, 2003 8:45 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to his departure the pilot informed maintenance personnel that he would be flying from Calgary, Canada to Vancouver, Canada. There was no radar data availble on the accident aircraft after taking off, nor while on the en route portion of the flight. At approximately 0755, local law enforcement personnel reported receiving a telephone call from an individual who reported seeing a twin engine airplane flying low over the area close to the Snake River. At approximately 0845, a second witness reported seeing a twin-engine airplane on the east side of the Salmon River at an altitude estimated to be between 200 and 500 feet above the ground, heading north-northwest paralleling the river. The witness stated that he didn't detect anything "irregular" about the engine, and that the airplane disappeared out of sight as it continued in a north-northwest direction. At 0930 the aircraft wreckage was located in a remote forested area. The beginning of the wreckage path was evidenced by multiple severed trees and extended over an area of approximately 555 feet on a southerly heading. Both wings were separated from the fuselage, and all fuel tanks were breached. The vertical stabilizer and rudder remained attached to the empennage, while the stabilator and elevator were separated. There was no post-impact fire. Post-accident toxicology testing revealed a carboxyhemoglobin (carbon monoxide) level of 17% which would be expected to result in measurable impairment of cognitive function. Examination of the airframe, engine and aircraft logbooks did not reveal any pre-existing anomalies which would have prevented normal operations.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with terrain while maneuvering. Factors contributing to the accident included the impairment of the pilot due to carbon monoxide exposure and the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/17/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 845 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | White Bird |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83554 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 454401N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1162307W |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 856 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 311 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LWS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1438 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 56 |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 7805 |
| 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) | 15394 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 17 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2115 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2004 3:34PM |
| 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 | C-GBEN |
| NTSB Number | SEA03FA143 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Non-U.S., Non-Commercial |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-34-200T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34-7970357 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4570 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | Foreign 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 17 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 160 |
| Airframe Hours | 4660 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Garry Benson |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Calgary |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | T3R 1A6 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | John Duthie |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Porthill |
| Operator State | ID |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 83853 |
| 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 | CBW |
| Departure City | Springbank |
| Departure State | -- |
| Departure Country | CA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | YVR |
| Destination City | Vancouver |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | CA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 15 2004 9:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |