Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Borah Peak, Idaho 83226
Saturday, May 22, 2004 14:16 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was on the first leg of a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight that originated approximately one hour and 15 minutes prior to the accident. After failing to arrive at the scheduled destination, the FAA issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT) and a search for the missing airplane was initiated. Eight days after the search was initiated, the missing airplane was located in mountainous terrain near the summit of Borah Peak at an elevation of approximately 11,210 feet above mean sea level. Widespread areas of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were reported along the pilot's route of flight. Weather forecasts for the time and area of the accident included icing conditions and mountain obscuration.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate planning/decision, VFR into IMC, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance. Factors include mountainous terrain and instrument meteorological condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1416
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Borah Peak
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83226
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 440742N
Event Location Longitude 1134642W
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 1350 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID KSUN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5319
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 242
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.79
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) 17356
NTSB Notification Source FAA-ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 23 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2005 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boise, Idaho

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N117BS
NTSB Number SEA04LA095
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WSK PZL Mielec
Aircraft Model PZL M-18B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1Z027-17
Certified Max Gross Weight 11700
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 Apr 4 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 1900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name A-S Ranch, Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address Box 134
Aircraft Owner City Fort Benton
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59442
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name New Frontier Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address Box 134
Operator City Fort Benton
Operator State MT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 59442
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DLN
Departure City DILLON
Departure State MT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BOI
Destination City BOISE
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
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 --