# Accident 19971201035879A: Gulstm 112, Kettle Falls, WA, December 1, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 1, 1997, 14:45 local time
- Place: Kettle Falls, WA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.7197° N, 117.9597° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.7197&lon=-117.9597&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1054J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1054J-2010-07-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aero Commander 112 (registry code 0144701, https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GULSTM 112
- Reported engine: LYC IO360C1D6
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 160 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA018) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971201035879A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA98LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA018), Dec 1, 1997: Aero Commander 112 (N1054J), Kettle Falls, WA, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering. Factors include the physiological impairment of the pilot's judgement due to alcohol.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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