Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Longview, Washington 98632
Friday, October 7, 2005 14:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was descending from 9,500 feet for weather, and while maneuvering around a cloud cell at 8,000 feet the airplane began to vibrate. He reduced power and rate of descent, and continued to his destination. After a normal landing, he discovered the "serious wrinkling" between the fuselage and the empennage. Postaccident evaluation of the airplane found no pre-existing cracking in the engine mounts; engine vibration analysis results were within limits. Ruddervator balance tests were also within limits. Radar data indicated that the airplane's maximum ground-track speed was 185 knots, or 213 mph. When this was corrected for altitude and winds aloft, the Investigator In Charge determined that the airplane's indicated airspeed should have been approximately 190 mph when it was descending through 8,000 feet. The airplane's Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) states that this speed is in the airspeed indicator's yellow arc, or between 176 and 202 mph. The POH further states that maximum structural cruising speed (Vno) is 176 mph, and remarks, "Do not exceed this speed except in smooth air and then only with caution."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Ruddervator flutter which resulted in the buckling of the empennage. The reason for the ruddervator flutter was undetermined.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/7/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Longview |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98632 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 460947N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1225655W |
| 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 | 1355 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 170 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KLS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 20 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 40 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19608 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NW ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 14 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 | N4647D |
| NTSB Number | SEA06LA004 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | G35 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D-4803 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2750 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John I. Cosman II |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 768 SW 13th Ave |
| Aircraft Owner City | Oak Harbor |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98277 |
| 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 | 76S |
| Departure City | Oak Harbor |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1255 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | EUG |
| Destination City | Eugene |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 10 2006 8:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |