19971201035879A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Gulstm 112 · Kettle Falls, WA · December 1, 1997

Date: December 1, 1997 · 14:45 local
Place: Kettle Falls, WA
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1054J
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA98LA018
Reported as: Gulstm 112
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360C1D6
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Pilot’s flight hours: 160 total

N1054JRegistration cancelled Jul 8, 2010 · Aero Commander 112S/N 54 · Built 1973 Airframe modelAero Commander 112 Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Acft crashed unk unk circ into the columbia river, one person suff fatal inj other POB is missing, marcus, WA. (.4)according to a FAA aviation safety inspector, witnesses observed the airplane flying 'low' over lake roosevelt. The witnesses observed the left wing strike the surface of the lake. The airplane then broke apart and sank in about 40 feet of water. The witnesses stated that there was no smoke or fire coming from the airplane at the time of the accident, and that there were no perceived problems with the engine. FAA inspectors found no evidence of bird strikes, nor of mechanical deficiencies prior to impact. Toxicological testing revealed that a high level of ethanol was detected in bodily fluids.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT CRASHED UNK UNK CIRC INTO THE COLUMBIA RIVER, ONE PERSON SUFF FATAL INJ OTHER POB IS MISSING, MARCUS, WA. (.4)ACCORDING TO A FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING 'LOW' OVER LAKE ROOSEVELT. THE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE LEFT WING STRIKE THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE. THE AIRPLANE THEN BROKE APART AND SANK IN ABOUT 40 FEET OF WATER. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FIRE COMING FROM THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THAT THERE WERE NO PERCEIVED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF BIRD STRIKES, NOR OF MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES PRIOR TO IMPACT. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING REVEALED THAT A HIGH LEVEL OF ETHANOL WAS DETECTED IN BODILY FLUIDS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA98LA018Accident · 3 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportKettle Falls, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering. Factors include the physiological impairment of the pilot's judgement due to alcohol.Dec 1, 1997 · Destroyed