SEA84FA102

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 140 · Lovelock, NV · May 5, 1984

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
May 4, 1984, 20:40 local (May 5, 1984, 03:40 UTC)
Place
Lovelock, NV
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N1978NCessna 140
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19840504018139A
Case key
39803

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Loss of control - in flightApproach
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Airport facilities,runway edge lights - unavailableFactor
Low pass - performedPilot in command
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Airspeed(vs) - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/spin - inadvertentPilot in command
FatiguePilot in commandFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The plt had originally requested a wx briefing at 0444 for a flt from cheyenne,WY to loverlock,NV. Prior to departing cheyenne at 0630, the FBO told the plt that the Lovelock arpt was flooded. The plt replied he would land at a strip in town. Fuel receipts showed the acft was refueled on 5/4/84 at rawlings, WY; evanston, WY; wendover, UT; & winnemucca, NV. At about 2030, the owner of the private strip heard the acft fly over & turned on a red beacon atop his residence. He observed the acft pass over the strip at about 200 ft AGL, proceeding east, with sounds of reduced power. He saw the lights of the acft initiate an apparent left turn, then plunge to the ground. The acft impacted in a steep descent. No preimpact, mechanical malfunction or failure was found. A toxicological test of the plt's blood revealed only a low level of carbon monoxide (8%). A witness estimated that the wind was from 250 deg at 15 gusting 20 KTS. The acft had landed at this strip several weeks prior to the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N1978N
Reported as
Cessna 140
Category
Airplane
Serial number
12214
Airframe hours
2,239
Engine
Continental C-85-12-F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Roland W. Coulson
Registered owner
Richard A. Coulson
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 23, 1983 · 76 hours before
Departed
WMC · Winnemucca, NV
Airport
Lovelock Air Park

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
48
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
534 total · 488 in this make and model · 501 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
250° at 15 knots, gusting 20
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
55 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.