Green Mountain Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vancouver, Washington 98662
Friday, May 2, 2008 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses located near the accident reported seeing the airplane takeoff, make a 180 degree turn, and fly down the runway at an altitude of about 30 feet above ground level (agl). As the airplane crossed the end of the runway, it pitched upwards into a steep climb, and the pilot did an aileron roll to the right, about 200 feet agl. The witness said that at the completion of the roll, the airplane appeared to be in a level attitude when a slight movement was observed, "as if it hit turbulence." The airplane subsequently descended in a nose-low attitude, eventually descending below a tree line. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed sufficient to avoid a stall during a low altitude aerobatic maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the low altitude at which the pilot initiated the maneuver.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Vancouver
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98662
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 453947N
Event Location Longitude 1222821W
Event Location Airport Green Mountain
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WA67
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 270
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID KPDX
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
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) 30.05
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) 24057
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date May 2 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2008 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland, Oregon

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62813
NTSB Number SEA08LA120
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Yakovlev
Aircraft Model Yak 52
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 800608
Certified Max Gross Weight 2899
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
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 Benjamin James Runyan
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Vancouver
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98682
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code WA67
Departure City Vancouver
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 1 2008 5:39PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --