Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lexington, Oregon 97839
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 18:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On October 26, 2011, about 1830 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182R, N6545E, collided with terrain near Lexington, Oregon. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Pasco, Washington, about 1800, with a planned destination of Lexington. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot flew from Lexington to Pasco to pickup his passenger at the airport. After departing back to Lexington, the passenger tilted his seat back to rest. The passenger sat up when the pilot announced that they were approaching the airport, and on 5-mile base for landing at Lexington. They could see the runway lights, and then the airplane reacted violently as it hit the ground. The passenger did not hear any warning comments from the pilot. The passenger sustained severely injured feet and other serious injuries. The passenger began crawling, and eventually came to a home almost 2 miles away about 4 hours later. A friend of the pilot reported to local law enforcement that the airplane was 2 hours overdue. Officers verified that the pilot’s car was still at the airport. They began a search, and then received the call that the passenger was at the residence. From the passenger’s description of his ordeal, the local first responders were able to locate the accident site. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), a Federal Aviation administration (FAA) inspector, and accident investigators from the airframe and engine manufacturer examined the wreckage on site. The accident site was high on a ridge in the middle of a wheat field. The First Identified Point of Contact (FIPC) was a ground scar. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, empennage, and wings; the wings had folded onto each other, and the airplane had rolled about 135 degrees onto its left side. The cabin area sustained upward crush damage on the bottom, and inboard crush damage on the left side. The main wreckage came to rest about 236 feet from the FIPC; the engine separated, and was about 386 feet from the FIPC. The debris path was along a magnetic bearing of 254 degrees, and the fuselage was heading about 330 degrees.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Lexington
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97839
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 452710N
Event Location Longitude 1193704W
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
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 Nov 9 2011 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6545E
NTSB Number WPR12FA021
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18268373
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BUFFALO INVESTMENTS LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City DRIGGS
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83422-0282
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Steve D Lunceford
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City DRIGGS
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83422-0282
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PSC
Departure City Pasco
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Lexington
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 9 2011 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --