Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ritter, Oregon 97856
Wednesday, August 24, 2005 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was making a personal cross country flight in the airplane. The accident occurred in a remote unpopulated area on top of a mesa. A grass fire was spotted on the mesa, and the responding fire fighters discovered that the fire had been started by the airplane crash. No witnesses to the accident were identified. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a near vertical descent. The wreckage sustained severe fire damage. The fuselage, except for its steel tubing frame, was consumed by fire. Fire destroyed the engine accessory case, oil pan, all engine accessories and all cockpit instruments and avionics. Inspection of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation. The reason for the loss of control could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of control for an undetermined reason which resulted in a ground collision.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Ritter
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97856
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 445638N
Event Location Longitude 1192019W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID BKE
Elevation of weather observation facility 3373
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
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 --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
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
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) 19601
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 24 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland, OR

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11WG
NTSB Number SEA05FA180
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Maule
Aircraft Model Bee Dee M-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 14
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Oct 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1140
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James H. Ylvisaker
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Kelso
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 ONO
Departure City Ontario
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KLS
Destination City Kelso
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 8 2006 3:28PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --