Cavanaugh Bay Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coolin, Idaho 83821
Friday, August 5, 2005 11:22 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses in the area reported seeing the aircraft first fly over the bay, "...very low over the water, at times only 50 to 100 feet above the lake." This witness stated that the plane "buzzed" over the houses on the east side of Coolin Bay. The aircraft made two passes over the houses, then flew north towards Rocky Point and Cavanaugh Bay at a "very low altitude." Another witness reported that when he first saw the aircraft he thought that it had just taken off as the aircraft was "just above the trees when it suddenly veered hard to the right and disappeared into the trees." Smoke was seen almost immediately after he lost sight of the aircraft. Documentation of the accident site indicated that the aircraft collided with several trees before colliding with the terrain. Fire destroyed a majority of the aircraft and flight control system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering to base leg for landing. Trees and inadequate in-flight planning were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1122
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Coolin
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83821
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 483124N
Event Location Longitude 1164900W
Event Location Airport Cavanaugh Bay
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 66S
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2484
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19283
NTSB Notification Source Bonner County Dispatch
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2006 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spokane, Washington

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N683RV
NTSB Number SEA05LA162
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Harmon/Lance
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 6
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Matthew D. Giles
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Vernonia
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97064
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 SPB
Departure City Scappoose
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 66S
Destination City Coolin
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 30 2005 3:45PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 120
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --