- Date
- September 10, 1992, 21:12 local (Sep 11, 1992, 05:12 UTC)
- Place
- Seward, AK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4362CChampion 7EC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 15, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19920910036349A
- Case key
- 5650
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain an adequate altitude in mountainous terrain, in moderate-to-severe turbulent conditions, which resulted in a loss of control. In addition, the pilot was physically impaired due to alcohol. Factors contributing to the accident were: the pilot's failure to obtain current or forecast weather for the area, mountainous terrain, and the existing turbulent and windy conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
At 2112 an ELT signal was received by the search and rescue satellite system (sarsat). At 0100 sar acft located the signal in mountainous terrain. Moderate-to-severe turbulence & darkness prevented a visual sighting. At 0630 the wreckage was found; the airplane had impacted the side of a steep mountain at the 3,700-FT level. No shoulder harnesses were installed in the airplane; the pilot had been ejected, and the injured pax had remained in his seat. Both died due to hypothermia. A loaded rifle with a telescope was found in the wreckage. It had one round in the chamber & 3 rounds in the magazine. The safety was on. Aprx 20 mountain goats were sighted on the alpine area near the crash site by investigators. An AIRMET was in effect for occasional moderate, isolated severe turbulence below 8,000 ft, within 2,000 ft of terrain. The pilot's toxicological findings were 0.121% for blood alcohol and 0.267% for urine alcohol. The pilot's wife stated that he did not possess a pilot's license, and had been 'flying for years.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4362C
- Reported as
- Champion 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7EC-385
- Engine
- Continental C-90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Lohman, Russell
- Registered owner
- Jess E. Sweatt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1990
- Departed
- Bear Creek, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 8,000 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 14 knots, gusting 25
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.