Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sherwood, Oregon 97140
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 7:35 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness reported that he was standing in his driveway when he heard an airplane circling overhead, but that he could not see it due to the fog. He estimated that the airplane was about 100 feet above him and that the lateral visibility was about 30 feet. The witness stated that he was looking into the fog when the airplane suddenly appeared, and recalled seeing the wing and a light. The witness estimated that the airplane was in a 90-degree bank angle and struck the ground less than 50 feet from his position. A review of recorded radar data indicated that the airplane maintained a straight track at a level altitude toward the accident area. Its altitude varied slightly over the next few minutes, and then the target began to climb. It reached its peak altitude of 2,400 feet mean sea level (msl), and began a turn to the left as it approached the area of the accident site. The target made turns in a figure-8 pattern, with the altitude varying a few hundred feet, before continuing in a turn to the right and descending, consistent with the pilot being spatially disoriented. The accident site elevation was about 900 feet msl. The closest official weather observation station was 8 nautical miles east of the accident site and its elevation is 200 feet msl. The reported conditions 42 minutes prior to the accident were light rain and mist with broken clouds at 2,100 feet above ground level (agl) and overcast at 2,800 feet agl. The report 18 minutes after the accident reported light rain showers and mist with scattered clouds at 2,600 feet agl and overcast skies at 3,400 feet agl. The temperature/dewpoint for all three reports was 4/3 degrees Celsius. Postaccident investigation identified no mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not have an instrument rating.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/1/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 735 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Sherwood |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97140 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 452008N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1225528W |
| 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 | 753 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 106 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KUAO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 200 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28076 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NWM Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 12 2011 10:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9996D |
| NTSB Number | WPR09FA175 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-22-150 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22-6789 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1950 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Steven R Fordyce |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Salem |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97305 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Steven R Fordyce |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Salem |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 97305 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 4OR7 |
| Departure City | Salem |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 711 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Hillsboro |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 15 2011 5:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| 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 | -- |