Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tierra Blanca
Sunday, January 15, 2006 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On January 15, 2006, at 0959 eastern standard time, a Beech D35, N5985C, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with Irazu Volcano in the vicinity of Tierra Blanca, Costa Rica. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed from Paitilla-Marcos A. Gelabert Airport, Panama City, Panama, enroute to Tobias Bolanos International Airport, Pavas, Costa Rica, on January 15, 2006, at 0857. The airplane was reported missing on January 15, 2006, and was located by search personnel on January 18, 2006. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Costa Rica. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Costa Rica. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Direccion General de Aviacion Civil Miniserio de Obras Publicas y Transporte Apartado Postal 5026 San Jose Costa Rica Telephone; 011-506-290-0664

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/15/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Tierra Blanca
Event State --
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 095725N
Event Location Longitude 0840823W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
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
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MRPV
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
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 Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source Costa Rica DGAC
NTSB Notification Date Jan 18 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2006 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Miami International FSDO-23

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5985C
NTSB Number ATL06WA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model D35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines --
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 --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address 300 Walnut Street, Unit 92
Operator City Des Moines
Operator State IA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 50309
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MPHG
Departure City Panama City
Departure State --
Departure Country PM
Departure Time 857
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MRPV
Destination City Pavas
Destination State --
Destination Country CS
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2006 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --