# Incident 20190721013549I: Sherman Albert SHERMAN, Independence, OR, July 21, 2019

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 21, 2019, 16:00 local time
- Place: Independence, OR
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.8578° N, 123.1977° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Independence, OR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8578&lon=-123.1977&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7970S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7970S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sherman Albert SHERMAN (registry code 05614LH, https://openairdocs.org/model/sherman-albert-sherman) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SHERMAN ALBERT SHERMAN
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 800 total, 80 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190721013549I

## Narrative

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

PILOT TOOK OFF FROM LEBANON AIRPORT PRACTICED LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS THEN FLEW TO INDEPENDENCE AIRPORT.  ABOUT FIVE MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT PILOT STATED THE ENGINE STARTED LOSING POWER WITH RPM DROPPING AND AIRCRAFT SLOWED TO ABOUT 90 KNOTS. PILOT SELECTED CARB HEAT AND DESCENDED FOLLOWING THE WILLAMETTE RIVER TO AVOID EMERGENCY LANDING IN TOWN OR GRAPE FIELDS.  PILOT STATED THERE WAS MODERATE TURBULANCE CAUSING A BOUNCY RIDE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY FISHTAILED SIDE TO SIDE AND THE ENGINE RECOVERED POWER.  PILOT LANDED AT INDEPENDENCE AIRPORT, SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE, WALKED AROUND THE AIRCRAFT, NOTICED NOTHING, GOT BACK IN AIRCRAFT, STARTED ENGINE, TOOK OFF FROM INDEPENDENCE AND FLEW BACK TO LEBANON AIRPORT.  WHEN PILOT ARRIVED AT LEBANON AIRPORT HE WE MET BY LOCAL POLICE WHO INFORMED HIM THAT HE HAD FLOWN THROUGH A PORWELINE THAT RAN ACROSS THE WILLAMMETTE RIVER.  POLICE ALLEGED HE LOOKED TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICANTS.  THE PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN BALANCE DURING FIELD SOBRIETY TEST BUT PASSED AN ALCAHOL BREATH TEST.  PILOT REQUESTED A BLOOD TEST WHICH WAS TAKEN AT LOCAL HOSPITAL.  NO RESULTS FROM BLOOD TEST YET.

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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