- Date
- May 20, 1985, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Chewelah, WA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N125ZLCessna 205
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850520036309A
- Case key
- 40044
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The acft was observed flying up a canyon at low altitude while climbing at an angle equivalent to the surrounding terrain slope. Shortly thereafter the acft encountered steeply upsloping terrain and began impacting trees in a left wing high and nose up attitude while still under power. There was not evidence of any powerplant malfunction. The wife of the plt reported that he did not possess any experience flying in and around the terrain near the accident area. The density alt at the accident was estimated at 6500 feet above sea level.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N125ZL
- Reported as
- Cessna 205
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2050037
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-S, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Zeph Lane
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 16, 1984
- Departed
- 63S · Colville, WA
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 63S, 17 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.