Bandon State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bandon, Oregon 97411
Tuesady, December 12, 2006 12:48 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Approximately 30 minutes after the pilot's initial takeoff, witnesses reported seeing the airplane in a steep, nose-low, left downwind to base turn for the intended runway. The witness reported the airplane continued the descending turn until loosing sight of the aircraft behind a tree line. The wreckage was later located in the general vicinity of the witnesses sighting. The airplane impacted terrain in the left wing down, nose-low attitude. The pilot's last radio transmission, on the Unicom frequency, was a position report indicating he was turning from downwind to base. A review of logbook records indicated the student pilot had accumulated approximately 325 hours of total time, of which 261 hours were solo. The pilot's past medical history included nonspecific recent arm pain. Severe atherosclerotic heart disease was cited as a significant finding in the autopsy. Toxicology testing revealed positive results for a prescription anti-depressant. The pilot held a current student pilot certificate. Post accident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence to indicate a pre-impact mechanical malfunction or irregularity with the airplane that may have contributed to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of aircraft control in the traffic pattern for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/12/2006
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1248
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Bandon
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97411
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 430550N
Event Location Longitude 1242358W
Event Location Airport BANDON STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S05
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 123
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID OTH
Elevation of weather observation facility 17
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.21
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) 22560
NTSB Notification Source FAA-ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 12 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 29 2007 8:02AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Hillsboro, Oregon

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5618U
NTSB Number SEA07FA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-26413
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 3577
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Alan E. Menje
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bandon
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97411
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S05
Departure City BANDON
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1220
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code S05
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 24 2007 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record ECKD
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 --